Went
down to the South coast yesterday to see Purple Sandpipers. I went with
Naveen, whom I met a few weeks ago, and who is a fellow birdwatcher and keen
photographer.
We
went first to Newhaven East Pier to find Purple Sandpipers. They are passage
migrants, so they would be around for only a few weeks each year.
On
arrival at the pier it was incredibly windy. We could see a group of birds
about halfway along. As we approached, it was a small flock of Purple
Sandpipers and Turnstones. The light was against us, so we needed to be on the other
side of them. As we tried to inch past, we flushed them and they flew to
the beach. Fortunately, a couple of walkers with a dog flushed them again and they came back to the pier. We were able to
take as many shots as we wanted as they were now comfortable with our
presence.
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| Purple Sandpiper |
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| Purple Sandpiper |
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| Turnstone |
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| Naveen getting down for the perfect shot! |
We
then moved on to Cuckmere Haven where I had heard there was a Glossy Ibis. As we parked, another birdwatcher told us where the ibis was and we found it
very easily. It was fairly distant but there were a few other interesting birds
around including a gorgeous Mediterranean Gull in full breeding plumage.
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| Glossy Ibis |
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| Little Egret |
 |
Common Gull - They're not that common! |
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| Mediterranean Gull taking off |
