July 31, 2008
Shorebird season begins
One sunny evening I biked up along the River Cam to the Waterbeach side of the Cam Washes to find it teeming with birds. These were mostly adult shorebirds, many still in breeding plumage, but also some juveniles of locally breeding Lapwings and Avocets. Two of the ten Avocets present (both juvs) were banded - one had a red ring on each leg, and the other just on its right leg.
Among the larger waders were a couple of Greenshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and a white-faced Ruff.
By far the most numerous waders were sandpipers - there were at least 20 Green Sandpipers and 5 Common Sandpipers, often feeding side by side for easy comparison. The left hand Common Sandpiper in the first photo is still in breeding plumage.
A few Common Snipe, plus single Dunlin and Little Ringed Plover completed the wader line-up. This group of 10 Little Egrets is the largest I've seen together in Cambs, though I gather up to 80 birds have been seen together on the washes.
Well, that's all from me for a little while, as I'm off on my annual visit to the US, this time taking in Wisconsin, California and Georgia - will hopefully fit some birding in around conferencing, being best man at a wedding and general socialising!
Posted by rjhall at July 31, 2008 3:44 PM