Drove up last night for a dawn start at St. Aiden’s RSPB Reserve near Leeds; it was a lovely morning and it only took five minutes waiting at Astley Lake before the adult LONG-TOED STINT flew in with Lapwings to its favoured little island on the lake, a brilliant little wader, jumping around nervously as the far bigger Lapwings settled down looking like a miniature Pec Sand – great scope views but too far away for pictures!
After watching for a while I went off wandering round this lovely reserve in the fine morning; birds included 2 Goosander, my first 2 Goldeneye of the autumn, several squealing Water Rails, 12 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Ruff, 10 Dunlin, 18+ Snipe, an adult male Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, 2 Kingfishers, 16 Bearded Tits which flew up high and headed off south, 65+ Redwings (which just started moving high west in small flocks as I was leaving), 4 Stonechats and a Grey Wagtail.
I then drove across to Blacktoft Sands RSPB where the long-staying WHITE-TAILED PLOVER was stood right in front of Marshland Hide as it has for weeks now; the only birds present were all from this hide which included a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper with the Dunlin, Lapwings, Teal and Black-tailed Godwits.
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