Saturday 24th September - A day trip to Scotland

The drama after I had seen the Pallid Harrier was that the Temincks Stint that had been at Weirwood Reservoir had morphed into a Long-Toed Stint (with only 2 previous British Records and none in Sussex). So there was no choice but to try for this at first light on Thursday morning. There was a health warning that views of this 5inch long wader had been at best distant (some 500 yds) - I arrived early (6am) and duly waited with the c100 other birders for light up .. but there was no sign ...  the only waders visible amongst the Lapwing being 8 distant Ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank. I bumped into Gary and I chatted for a while but by 10am I was feeling that the bird had probably departed overnight so I left... and it wasn't seen again.

Later that day I had seen reports of  a Sandhill Crane in Aberdeenshire and recalled that 2 years ago Gary had called me when one of these rare American Cranes had turned up on Orkney and after making plans to do a weekend trip the bird promptly departed before we left. It wasn't a great surprise when Gary called me again  early Friday and so plans were made to drive overnight Friday and arrive the 600 miles further north at around first light on Saturday.

So I picked Gary and Mike Buckland up around 9pm and we set off, arriving at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB reserve exactly at sunrise (6.55am). The RSPB reserve had set itself up expecting many visitors and we were quickly ushered by friendly staff to the back of the information centre overlooking the reserve which was crammed full of birders with scopes looking at the Sandhill Crane which had roosted overnight on the reserve along with some 20,000 Pink-footed Geese. The Crane was giving good if distant views and shortly took flight leaving the reserve to the North. It had in previous days been visiting freshly cut hay fields to feed during the day.

So we headed out to relocate the Crane already buoyed by the success of connecting with it immediately after the long drive. After half and hour or so of touring lanes the bird was refound and this time we obtained better views in good light before eventually it took flight again - fantastic !.  Lots of Curlew were in the fields and a Merlin flew over and Wheatears and Ruff were seen suring our touring of the lanes. The landscape was very much grazing land with many fields just cut for hay mostly with the bails yet to be removed, with a coastal strip of slightly wetter grazing . After another search around we decided that we would head back to the RSPB reserve for some food overlooking the reserve.

A small number of Barnacle Geese were with the Pink-feet, and Mike picked up 2 Pectoral Sandpipers along with a Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin and Redshank.

Around  midday we headed further down the coast to Blackdog, where a walk out to the dunes and along Murcars golf course had us scanning the sea amongst the thousands of sea duck present, and it wasn't too long before we picked up our quarry in a Black Scoter in amongst the Common Scoter, Eider, mostly Guillemot and Red-throated Divers with an Arctic Skua and a few Arctic Terns in the fly pasts.

We headed south around 3.30am all very pleased with our birding in fantastic scenery and mild, bright weather and perhaps wished we could have stayed longer in the area eventually arriving home at around 2.30am on Sunday !.

Some of the 20,000+ Pink-footed Geese

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane - a nice garden tick for someone ! - note Gulls for size comparison.

The stubble fields favoured by the Crane (It's in front of the barn !)

.. and then it flew off,

Ruff in wet grazing field.

Plenty of Wheatears were seen.