But it was a long staying Lesser Yellowlegs that prompted the visit ... there were around ten birders about on arrival as the morning mist was just about clearing ... always good to have plenty of eyes searching ... but after an hour and a half of searching the Kiln Lake , Flask Lake and beyond there was no sign ... people were starting to drift off ... there was still the main lake to check but others had already been there and returned with negative news ...
The main lake looked more promising and after around 15 minutes checking the extensive shorelines we located the wader ... on the very far shore and disappearing frequently behind a mound and clumps of vegetation ... soon the news spread to the other birders still present and everyone had good if rather distant views ...
... always active, the bird fed busily ...
... and associated loosely with Redshank - thanks to Adam Moan for the next two images ...
There were good numbers of Redwings feeding on some wet areas by the hedges ...
... some appeared to be the nominate race Turdus iliacus iliacus ...
... while others looked distinctly darker with much more heavily marked breasts and bellies with blotches rather than fine streaks ... the ground colour on the mantle was also darker on these birds and more of a solid dark brown and lacking greyish tones ...
... the features shown on these are more consistent with the Icelandic race I.i.coburni ...
Thanks again to Adam for the Redwing images ...
Smallways Lake on the return journey home was awash with waders ... large numbers of Curlew and Lapwing ... and also two Ruff ....
