Marsh Sandpiper at Cliffe pools Kent.

I sent Brian a text telling him that a Marsh Sandpiper was reported at Cliffe pools & does he fancy it after work, back comes the reply yes & to meet up in the usual place.

Brian turns up in Sue's 4 wheel drive & what a good call that turns out to be. The drive down the track at Cliffe is what you would call a bit bumpy with more holes than flat surface & the 4x4 made that a bit more bearable.

We drive past the black barn & reach the second viewing mound to find two birders who soon got us onto the bird, it is a long way over the back of Black barn  pool but it was showing well walking along close to the bank & then turning & heading back round the bend to stay out of sight for a few minutes.

The scope views were good but as I said distant & not helped by a heat haze.

This bird is a lifer for all three of us so well worth doing battle with the traffic both going & heading home not helped by the tunnel being shut.

Seven Black-winged Stilt are seen some of them youngsters, along with Redshank,Ringed Plover,Dunlin,Little Egret & many Avocet,& Godwit a Barn Owl puts on a display for us as it hunts along the grass in front of the mound.So a nice little bonus lifer on a Thursday evening.