Little and large. Little Stint and Common Ringed Plover with the unwanted and biggest lump of biomass, Canada Goose.
ALSTON WETLAND'S SECOND EVER LITTLE STINT WAS YESTERDAY'S HIGHLIGHT. Until now the reserve had hosted the same number of Killdeers as Little Stints! Stocks Reservoir was also great in the morning and evening with four Ruddy Turnstones on the island there as well as now five lovely Black Terns hawking near the buoys at the mouth of the Hodder inlet. The turnstones flew off high to the northeast at 2015 and I left soon afterwards, only arriving at Alston after 2100 where the stint was happily still on view until at lest 2125 amongst 7 whimbrels and a few curlews. It was still present next morning and also at Alston there were at least 4 Common Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. A Kingfisher here was also new for the year and the Common Cuckoos were much in evidence, calling loudly again. A couple of pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers and at least 16 Common Redshank were also of note but alas there was no sign of the reported Baird's Sandpiper of the previous evening. A couple of Sedge Warblers were singing at Alston No. 1 reservoir this morning, keeping my smallest year list vaguely in touch with the rest of the ELOC little year listers.
ELOC year list 131. Ruddy Turnstone 132. Common Kingfisher 133. Little Stint 134. Sedge Warbler
Dunlin on the shore of Alston no.1