13/08/2020 Wood Sandpipers at RSPB Pagham

Thursday 13th August 2020

RSPB Pagham

There was a glut of wood sandpiper sightings in my area today and I was spoiled for choice as to where to go to see them.  With heavy showers forecast after the really hot weather of late, I opted to make the long journey down to Pagham Harbour near Chichester where 2 were reported on the Ferry Pool.  I could get closer views of the birds there and if the weather did turn nasty I was only 2 minutes away from the car. As it turned out all the wet weather came during my journey down and it had gone through by the time I arrived at the Ferry Hide just before 4pm. 

• Exactly as reported, there were 2 wood sandpipers showing well at the far end of the pool.  I watched them for a good length of time, including a lovely period where they were having fun chasing each other around before they flew across the pool from right to left and settled again.

courtesy of Andy Wilkes and Twitter

• I also got a bonus bird - a kingfisher - as I scanned down the channel from the pumping station.  The bird was flying in towards me and landed on a pole just a few metres away.  It didn't stay long as it was disturbed by a couple of approaching walkers on their way west towards Church Norton.

A most enjoyable experience.