Out for a walk at Keyhaven one day, we came across a gaggle of birders with scopes apparently trained on a group of Redwing on a distant island. We were reliably informed that one of the 'Redwing' was in fact a Long-billed Dowitcher. I took a couple of pictures of a blurry, grey, sleeping wader, which I think was the bird they meant but then it woke up and showed us its characteristic long bill. Unfortunately my best shot was photo-bombed by a passing Lapwing.

The Lapwing had moved off for the next shot, but the Dowitcher was by now heading round the back of the island, so I took a couple of shots of the Lapwings as a consolation.

When I got home, I found that the Dowitcher was just entering stage left. If only I'd taken a few more!

Much as I like to stick to my own pictures, I realise that on this occasion, whilst the above pics do record our sighting, they really aren't very informative for anyone else, so here is one taken by Keith Betton of the same bird a few days earlier.

 

All Photographs - September/October 2015

 

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