11-09-08 A Stint at Cresswell

I don't know why I was pondering where to go on Thursday, Cresswell was the obvious choice ,so I pulled up to the north car park and heard there were two Pectoral Sandpipers with the Buff Breasted, the wind was to strong for Digiscoping so I went up for the reported Wryneck in the dunes of Druridge Country park, no one there as I pulled up at a likely spot, but I found it after about 10 mins, hoping for some photos but not to be ,it flitted around and gave me the run around ,two Redstarts also here, so I headed back to Cresswell , the Sandpipers were at the north end giving great views, Barn Owl over the car park( Redstart,Spotted & Pied Fly also still here) and later overhead going west, the Sandpipers flew around keeping together occasionally calling , the Buff very soft low 'gerf ' just as collins guide lists ,but you could easily miss it amongst other noise, at least 10 Curlew Sandpipers, and two Little Stints with Dunlin etc: & Barn Owl also over the fields just to the south with a fox on the drive home another good day.
Grass of Parnassus in the dunes, Darters also in sheltered spots

The three birds together briefly

Two Pec's & a Buff
Two Pec's & a Buff ( showing the primary covert crescent)
Barn owl giving great views east of the car park