Patch Gold

I was in the process of trying to drag myself up and out on Saturday morning when I got a nice surprise from The Veteran; news of a Bar-tailed Godwit at the Nose!!!

Now, as you may have guessed from the utter lack of estuaries, mudflats, sand flats, marsh, wetland, or anything else wader-friendly about the Patch, non-rocky waders are thin on the ground here.

Most of my records are flypasts or flyovers [Blackwit flypast while seawatching, Snipe audiomig {real ears, too!}, for two  :D ].

This was neither.

I passed on the news to a Teacher, grabbed the artillery, and zoomed over [as fast as you can in a 20, that is], hoping the doughty Irregulars on site could keep the frenzied hordes and their rampaging dogs at bay.

Arriving at a strangely light-on-mundanes Nose, I allowed myself a little hope. And tried not to leg it down too fast; a careful approach was required for a bird that was not out on the rocks, oh no, it was close.

How close?

This close!

Barwit!!!

There with a little yellow grass snail sp.. She [2cy female, I believe?], after waking up, proceeded to happily probe the sandy soil and low vegetation of Sandy Point like it was the Bight at DW, finding many things to scarf down.

And yes, those browny smears are intervening vegetation, as fieldcraft trumps 'perfect' photographs. Especially when you have would-be viewers still on the way!

:)

While the undoubted highlight [Patch Tick for all concerned, even the Veteran!], this was not the only event of my little extended weekend, but all the rest shall await future missives.

Be Seeing You...