Curlew Sands at Backsand

A hurried post just in case anyone is thinking about visiting Backsand over the w/e.

High tide today was around 7.00 am a time that is lousy for photography due to the direction of the sun from the photographic hide. Anyway I got there at 7.30 and found Steve Raynaert in residence. Bird wise things were pretty good with Steve having seen 2 curlew sands (first seen yesterday I think), 2 wood sands and a little stint. (plus the normal red and greenshank). As the morning wore on the wood sands disappeared but a second little stint showed up as did another 4 curlew sands, a couple of dunlin and eventually 1 common and 3 green sands.

As normal everything was quite a distance away (I’m sure they are staying on the far side due to the ongoing excavations) but for 10 minutes or so the original 2 curlew sands were in front of the hide. The light direction was really challenging (being from the right) and the exposure changing with the angle of the birds to us but some decent images were obtained:

Curlew sandpiper plus little stint

Curlew Sandpiper

Around 10.30 something spooked the few birds still present and everything disappeared as did I.

Over the last week or two I have enjoyed greenshank, common sand, little ringed plover, little stint and now curlew sands at about 10 yards but nearly every time down there only one species has come close and then only for a few minutes. So if you go down there be prepared to wait. If your lucks in you’ll get some good or even great shots if it’s not in you’ll probably get nothing at all as the roosting birds are too distant.