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Since around the 15th September, I had been attempting to cover the pits on a daily basis. With impressive looking conditions for waders and wildfowl, and a few decent species for the time of year (Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck etc), my confidence was renewed and I kept up my efforts. On Tuesday 25th September, I had no more than 45 minutes spare to get some birding in before dusk, and so headed out to do my usual rounds of the New Works area. On arrival at Long Pit, I accidentally flushed out both Common and Green Sandpipers and a Little Egret from the near margin - the rain had not only improved the conditions of the mud, but also dropped some birds in.
It was at that point (a little after 18:05) that I heard an unusual wader call. I looked up and saw a medium to large-sized wader dropping in from the northwest. It then began calling again, and I recognised its "chew chew chew" - Greenshank. I put my bins up as it dropped down on to the pit, heading away from me behind a muddy bank. For some reason, the bird didn't appear to show any white extending up the back, and I joked to myself that it might be a yellowlegs.
Nevertheless, I took a stroll to view the pit where the bird had gone down. There was a Green Sandpiper, and a larger wader with yellowy-orange legs facing away from me. I wasn't really sure what to think, but then it turned to give me a side-on view. I could not believe it - it was a yellowlegs! I was amazed. My heart started to beat very fast, and I ran round the pit to get closer to the bird and obtain better views. Marc Read rang - I told him breathlessly that I'd ring him back.
Carefully setting up my tripod by some reeds, I was still 100 metres away. At this point, it became clear the bird was big and bulky, and had a long, broad and slightly upturned bill - surely, coupled with its Greenshank-like call, it was a Greater Yellowlegs?! Realising just how rare the species is in the UK, I reserved judgement and continued to watch the bird. I rang Marc back, and alerted him to the fact I was pretty sure it was a Greater, but not to put the news out straight away as I could not be 100% sure. I then rang Will Bowell and told him to get to BLGP as quickly as he could.
Shortly after this the bird was flushed by a Moorhen, and flew around calling for a bit, then landed closer to me - by this time I was convinced I was looking at a Greater Yellowlegs. I rang Will again, and found that he was on his way. I was shaking so much that taking steady pictures was extremely hard - even on 400 ISO. Light was also dire and so my shots were being taken at 1/30th second! Suddenly, the bird got up again, and flew low towards the New Works - I was expecting it to land, but it didn't, and it gained height as it flew towards Slurry Pit.
I kept on the bird constantly, hoping it would land, or even come back - but it didn't. The call was again heard several times - very similar to that of a Greenshank aside at a very slightly different pitch. After two minutes or so, just as Will and Ray Bowell and Malcolm Holley were pulling up, I lost it as a dot as it flew high southwest.
I headed back to the road to where the newly- arrived birders were standing - I was slightly dazed. Will looked at the pics, and confirmed I wasn't hallucinating - it was indeed an adult Greater Yellowlegs! Slightly numb with frustration that it had not lingered that extra 3 minutes for Will and co, I simply did not know what to say. Other local birders checked both BLGP and nearby Maxey until dusk with no luck - the bird seemed to have just carried on going.
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