Monday 31st August: Curlew Sandpiper at Venus Pools

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 We travelled with Kate to Venus Pool where we thrilled to find this rather lovely Curlew Sandpiper feeding on the mud. It was initially elusive, obscured by vegetation, but as both we and the bird repositioned ourselves it eventually showed very well. This was a juvenile bird, tinged with a subtle pink flush and pronounced supercilium in excellent light until the rain poured down! 

Curlew Sandpiper

Other highlights here included a couple of Common Sandpipers, which looked very diminutive when compared to the robust and longer-legged Curlew Sandpiper. This Common Snipe also posed obligingly directly in front of the hide.

Snipe



One bird many locals were also hoping to see was Turnstone, with a pair having been reported in recent days. These were not present today. It made me very aware of the geographical differences in bird populations - being on the coast I see Turnstones on our local estuary almost daily, but a Shropshire Dipper would be a stunner for me, as these do not occur in Sussex. That’s the joy and wonder of an interest of birding!

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