Long Billed Dowitcher & Bonapartes Gull at Oare Marshes

Adult Long Billed Dowitcher

News of an adult Long Billed Dowitcher on the East flood at Oare marshes yesterday morning the 8th August reached me, so i headed over there to have a look , i managed to park up in the pull-in and was quickly scanning the huge amount of waders on the East flood , i eventually saw the superb Long Billed Dowitcher out by the reedy island in the middle of the flood.

Feeding amongst the gulls.

The LBD spent quite sometime asleep but eventually started to become more active and feed amongst the Gulls , there was also a moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper keeping the LBD company alot of the time , there really was a great variety of waders on the East flood.

Long Billed Dowitcher.

I also saw singles of  Little Stint , Spotted Redshank , Knot, Green Sandpiper on the East Flood plus large numbers of Avocet , Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit & Redshank.

Several Golden Plover.

As hide tide approached several Golden Plover flew in to the East flood and there were plenty of Ruff around the flood plus 3 Whimbrel flew over head.

Whimbrel.

The adult Bonaparte's Gull flew into the East flood plus there was several Med Gulls also roosting among the large numbers of Black Headed Gulls , there was also Lesser Black Backed & Common Gulls in the gull roost, i also briefly saw the Garganey which has been around for a few days now.

The East flood is alive with birds just now and the water levels are just about right.

Bonaparte's Gull photo taken on 8th July 2017.

The Bonaparte's Gull has moulted alot since i took the above photo on the 8th July but is still a cracking bird to see.