Lightning strikes twice and this time I get to see it: Pectoral Sandpiper at Fowlmere. Was away for the last one a few years ago and didn’t expect to get this one back! Rushed down with Tom and also ticked Redshank a few seconds later! Took a poor record shot…
Later sent this email to the finder Ade Cooper speculating on its origin…
I did actually wonder afterwards whether it may be the same bird as a few years ago. Think it was a similar sort of time? It’s highly unlikely to have come across from the US (or Siberia) in the last few days. My guess is, being an adult, it could doing a yearly north-south migration but on the wrong side of the Ocean: A failed breeder somewhere in northern Europe at some birder-less location, heading back south early after (obviously) failing to find a mate. Stopped off at Fowlmere last time to feed up for a day, and is doing the same again. Obviously no proof of this at all, but makes sense and seems a possibility to me.
On the way home a Marsh Harrier was over Fowlmere Road and a Hobby flew over the house.
