Dig deep: Wednesday 4th October

More light today, which meant more heat! I nearly passed out in my hide, and had to give up even though the tide was just peaking. It was quite a scary experience. Actually, the light wasn't great - it was quite hazy, but there was no wind, and the temperature just soared. Going in the morning meant I had to shift my hide to the opposite side of the pool to make best use of the light. Today for the first time, I managed to get that elusive 'catch-light' in the eye of some of the birds!

The construction activity is encroaching on the wader roost site more and more now. Every 10 minutes a lorry rumbled past the pool where my hide was, sending all the birds off to the mudflats.

Finally, I decided to move my hide to a more remote location where I have noticed some of the birds coming to roost. I'll leave it a few days to get the birds accustomed to it before giving it another go.

This adult Bar-tailed Godwit obligingly showed off the various feather tracts on the wing and upperparts, so I labelled them!(Click on the image to see a larger version)

It was a good day for plovers. This adult Greater Sand Plover spent some time at the pool, but didn't come close.

This adult Lesser Sand Plover was more confiding.

I was pleased to get this Little Ringed Plover. There are always one or two around - I hear them most visits, but they don't often come close.

Another one I was pleased to photograph - an adult Broad-billed Sandpiper. Adults in non-breeding plumage are quite subtle birds, as their plumage is not that different from Red-necked Stints and Curlew Sandpipers. They have legs like stints (short) and a bill-length similar to Curlew Sandpiper - kind of a mixture of both! Note the distinctive downward kink at the end of the bill.