Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour

For the third time this year, this evening I found myself birding at Pagham Harbour, in West Sussex for yet another rare bird. Yesterday news broke of a Terek Sandpiper in Pagham but I was busy doing a bird ringing display on the Leckford Estate, in the Test Valley, and just could not get away. Fortunately, Terek Sand is a species I have seen a few times in the UK, including in Hampshire, and also on various foreign trips. I haven't seen one for a few years now, so again, I was keen to see it. With the bird being just down the road, I decided to go after work, the bird was in view almost immediately after I arrived. It was feeding on the edge of a shingle spit in the middle of the estuary, and would occasionally go out of view, but was generally showing well when it was in view.

According to Birds of Sussex this is the fourth record for the County; the previous records were 1951 at The Midrips, 1969 at Church Norton and in 2008 again at The Midrips. There appears to be a bit of a theme here! Although the light was good and the bird was close enough for scope views. it was a little too far for my trusty 400mm Canon lens so the images have been heavily cropped, but at least I got some images.

Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour

Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour

Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour 

Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour

Terek Sandpiper - Pagham Harbour

The Hudsonian Whimbrel was still in the harbour also, but by the time I had finished watching the Terek it had walked out of view, so I didn't try for it, but instead headed home from yet another successful twitch.