counting coots

Yes dear reader, a proper bird on my patch.

What constitutes a proper bird? Obviously one that you don't see every day. Preferably one that you don't see every month. Ideally one that you don't see every year. Green Sandpiper fits the latter description, and as far as this patch goes it is a proper bird.

Yesterday lunchtime I was farting about with my highly advanced photographic set up, taking umpteen shite pictures of gulls. The are quite big, they stay still, they are quite close and they don't move much. Whilst messing about with settings, which just produce photos of varying degrees of shite, I heard a small high pitch sound and a movement which made me think 'funny bloody starling?!?'. (Look, most people with a tidal mudflat have waders - I have feral pigeons, crows and starlings ok?).

Closer examination found this.