A couple of rarities from the last few weeks. Whilst staying in Dorset, I took an afternoon out to head across to Lodmoor RSPB to try and catch up with the Stilt Sandpiper seen there the previous day. Having walked far too long, I realised I had taken the wrong route past the 'hump'. SO I turned back and found a single birder from Merseyside looking at a largely empty scrape. After sifting through a couple of Green Sands and Snipe, the bird appeared from behind some vegetation. It was an impressive bird with fantastic barring to the flanks and the clearly longer legs. A great bird, probably now in the Camargue in France. Whilst in Dorset, I also caught up with Pied Fly, Redstart and Nightjar.
Nearer home, I popped across to Farthing Downs, Coulsden and caught up with a really showy Hoopoe. I first saw it in flight, then grubbing about on the ground and finally perched for all to see in a dead hawthorn tree. Great views.
