Black Hole Marsh, Seaton - Mon 11 Oct

After getting the OK from my boss to leave work at 5.00pm I headed down to Seaton and Black Hole Marsh to twitch the Solitary Sandpiper that had, fortunately, remained at the site all day after first being found the previous night. I arrived just after 6.00pm and walked down to the marsh, following some excellent directions supplied by my friend Andy Grinter. As I arrived I bumped in to my mate Steve Crimp who had just seen the bird, and he pointed out where he had last seen it and I had soon got on the bird as it rested on a bank. After ten minutes or so it made a short flight, showing off the distinct dark rump, and started feeding slightly closer. I tried to get a couple of record shots, but the light was dire, this was the best I could manage:

At least you can make out the pale legs, eye ring, and the spots on the flank...and that it is a bird!! A Green Sandpiper was nearby meaning the differences between the two species could be studied. As I had to play in a table tennis match I could not linger too long so I headed back to the car, seeing a Kingfisher as I walked along. A manic trip after work but well worth it for a cracking lifer.