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THORPE MARSH: Common Sandpipers

20th August 2012

Another scorchingly hot day, but as there have been a few birds on the move recently I gave Thorpe Marsh another look. The scrape had dried up, but scanning east I picked up a large raptor soaring in the distance. It had more than a little bit of a Honey Buzzard look about it, but unfortunately for me it few off north-east (with slow, effortless wingbeats!) and was added to the wastebin of unidentified raptor sightings.

Shortly afterwards Dan arrived and we scanned for a bit, but didn't see any other raptors. Swallows and House Martins were hawking insects past Bungalow Lane, but the local Swifts have cleared out.  Walking round to the broad we found three Common Sandpipers on the shingle, two of which went for  a fly across the broad and river before returning and landing out of sight. Several butterflies included Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral, whilst a dead and rather smelly Common Shrew was delighting a host of Greenbottle flies.

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