Bluff-chested Handwiper

A six hour session with the Buff-breasted Sandpiper today provided plenty of opportunity to point it out to passers by, most of whom seemed genuinely interested, particularly when told about its provenance from North America. Quite a few though seemed to have trouble remembering its name, despite it being only seconds between me telling them and them reciting it back to me. 'Bluff-chested, you say'; 'Chuff-crested, is it?'; 'A Rough-legged whatwasit?', I had them all. In the end I decided to tell them I was looking at the metal detectorists who were prospecting in the same field. Much less scope for confusion.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Slightly ruffled in this one

It never came as close as I had hoped...

...but certainly an improvement on my previous efforts

A very dinky wader

During one of its frequent rest stops

Sandpiper on a stick. Spoiling a perfectly good photo of a metal detectorist.

Wheatear

Plenty of Wheatears in the area

Whitethroat feeding on elderberries