Birthday present

After telling everyone how great Castle Mills/100 Acre/Meadow Lane was looking and then disappearing off to Bath for a long birthday celebration with the family, I watched with envy as Tom gets a Ruff on Saturday and then today, Lol and Lee get Rock and Water Pipit.  So my plans for a birthday afternoon birding at the site were switched to Broom.  I was there at 3.30 and noted the four Dunlin SCB had reported from lunchtime on GLW.  At least six LRPs and four Ringed Plovers were also present.  GLE had a Dunlin - good enough for a SFYT, as was the singing Chiffchaff.  Scanned the area from the first gateway, the mid way point and failed to find anything new.  But with my hopes pinned on Rock Pipit, I stopped at the far south end and scanned the wet bits.  Nothing...but what's that wader?  Looking good and indeed it was, a lovely 'coming into summer plumage' Spotted Redshank.  A welcome birthday present.

Later with SCB at Meadow Lane, failed with any rare pipits but three more Dunlin had arrived and also got my first Wheatear.

Notching 'em up...