A morning visit produced more of the same with seven Common Sandpipers and three Green Sandpipers and not a lot else. However, at 5.45pm it all changed when I had a message from fellow birder Nick Smith letting me know there was a Turnstone at the reservoir on the near shore where the old hide was "in case I needed it for the year list". I needed it for my Sutton Bingham life list! So I dropped everything and shot down there, seeing Nick briefly on the northern causeway to confirm the spot before heading to the southern end. What followed was an agonising 45 minutes searching for the bird but drawing a blank, so I headed home completely dejected. However, I have a wonderful wife who told me to give it another go, and this time I had company as she came with me, along with our son. Another hour long search up and down the reservoir was again unsuccessful, but a patch record count of twenty-three Mandarin was something...but not what I wanted. I decided to try one last look from the northern causeway before leaving the site and I finally struck gold as I relocated the Turnstone on the rocky spit opposite the Sailing Club. It was now 8.00pm and the bird was a little distant but showed well in the scope, the photos are shocking though...these are the best! I've even added a red circle to help on the first one.
So after a real down and then up evening I have added Turnstone to my Sutton Bingham life list, one of my most wanted patch birds and I certainly owe Nick a pint at some stage!
Sutton Bingham year list for 2020 now at 106 species.
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