Sandpiper Saturday

A few weeks ago I set myself the challenge of getting a half decent blip of one of the Sandpipers that have nested near the river in front of our house. Yesterday Mrs B saw one of their chicks in our garden and later in the evenings a parent bird was sitting on our garage roof shouting on the chicks with its distinctive call..

Today we travelled with our visitors and Mrs S, the farmer's wife, to Tarbert for the annual Seafood Festival. Although it rained all afternoon, the seafood was wonderful. I started with a couple of scallop shells filled with 2 kinds of prawn cocktail and followed this up with a cup of delicious seafood chowder. It was then down to the harbour where we inspected the seafood and bought huge bags of fresh squat lobsters and prawn tails. We even returned later for some of the wonderful scallops that I sampled at one of the stalls. It was my idea of food heaven - walking about a harbour area grazing on beautiful fresh seafood!

Anyway, when we got home the Sandpiper was spotted in the garden and I decided to try and track it down. Not a particularly easy job as it takes flight as soon as it sees you. Got a few blips at distance before I managed to creep up on it as it stood on a large fence post in a neighbouring garden. Was about 20 metres away when I took this and other shots. I thought about posting a shot with its beak open as it sang its song, but decided instead on this more interesting shot of its head turned round.

Out tonight with our visitors for dinner at our favourite local restaurant, where the food is always excellent. Its been a great day of eating so far with more to follow. Also a very satisfying day having managed to blip Mr or Mrs Sandpiper!

1130pm update. Returned home after a wonderful night out at Dunvalanree and on entering the garden 2 little Sandpiper chicks were caught in our headlights running off into a border. Mother/Father was chirping away furiously as we parked the car. Tomorrow's challenge is to get a blip of a chick!