Pec at Pulborough!!

 A week's holiday began with a trip to RSPB Pulborough Brooks, didn't get there to early and no scope which is always a handicap around the Brooks!! The view from the visitor center is definitely a highlight of the reserve!

View by Margie

View by Margie

The area around the Visitor Center and down the zigzags was fairly quiet, a few Finches about, a posy Robin and the first of several Jays seen!

Robin

Goldfinch and a couple of Linnets

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Jay

Goldfinch

We soon found ourselves at the first hide, West Mead, few warblers around the hide but no sign of the reported Spot Flys, we had flushed a Greenshank from the path, I know weird right? It had flown over the hide and we were pleased to find it on the pool right in front of the hide!! Couple of Snipe and a Wheatear at the back of the pool the highlights here!! 

Greenshank

Wheatear

Couple of Snipe

Greenshank

We proceeded around to the Winnpenny Hide, a Stonechat high in a tree and a Charm of Goldfinches the highlights of the short walk! From the hide two Hobbies flew around like maniacs so fast Margie struggled to get on em despite my pinpoint instructions such as "in front of them Trees" or the helpful "in the field" or the even more useful "in the sky" !!! Can't believe she struggled to get on em😁😁😁though she glimpsed one in the end, they were distant and moving quick, the pics are appalling but I've put one up as a record shot!! There were also 4 Kestrels knocking about, including a very slim one on a distant post, now no scope means the old imagination can run riot and I tried to turn it into all sorts, from Merlin to Cuckoo via Hobby before arriving back at the obvious Kestrel!!😏😏

Stonechat

Hobby (I know it is a rubbish pic!)

Kestrel on a post!

Heron

Closer Kestrel

Kestrel in flight

Greenshank in flight

We headed round to the Hanger, we bumped into a Birder, who said the Pectoral Sandpiper reported yesterday was showing from the viewpoint with a couple of Ruffs, we quickened our step, arriving at the Hanger we observed the 3 waders mentioned, However with no scope they were tiny dots, we hung around in the hope someone with a scope would turn up, no luck, so decided to head to Jupp's view with the hope of a closer look!! On the way Margie did some Landscape pics and I saw another Charm of Goldfinches and a showy Whitethroat!

Goldfinch

Common Whitethroat

Margie getting artistic

And again

Landscape by Margie

Margie on the pew with a view!!

Landscape by Margie

From the path above Jupp's View we could see four Waders on view, a guy with a scope turned up, Hurrah and let me look through it, double Hurrah!! We had the Pectoral, 2 Ruff and a Dunlin, although I thought maybe could be a Curlew Sandpiper but was very hard to tell!! Another Wader appeared fairly close this time, a Green Sandpiper!! Some very dodgy, distant pics below!

Pec sand

Ruff and Dunlin/Curlew Sand????

Green Sandpiper

We headed back towards the visitor center at Fattengates Courtyard a Blue Tit showed superbly well reminding me how fantastic some of the commoner birds are when seen close, especially after the dots pretending to be Waders!!

Jay

A Lily in the Fattengates Pond

Another Posy Robin

Blue Tit

Rather too many Blue Tit pics perhaps, but you have to fill ya boots when you can!!

We carried on past the feeding station, more Tits, some House Sparrows, more Jays, a Nuthatch with several others heard and nice to see a young Greenfinch being fed by a parent!

Great Tit

Jay

House Sparrow

Margie got the only usable shot of a Nuthatch

That was about it, shame the Waders weren't a bit closer, but a very pleasant walk around, Pulborough is always good, but should definitely have taken the Scope!!!