27 September 2022 - Hollingworth Lake

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Green Sandpiper, Pink-footed Geese

Another nice and fairly calm sunny day today. Just leaving the house, a flock of Starlings were perched on the wires just opposite, sporting their winter spots. A wren was calling from the shadows at the side of Rakewood road, then as I approached the reserve I noticed a smallish wader feeding distantly out on the mud.  Closer inspection revealed it to be a Green Sandpiper, confirmed shortly afterwards as it flew towards the reserve displaying its white rump and tail.  When I reached the hide, the Green Sandpiper was feeding in the same channel as I saw it recently, but unfortunately didn't come any closer.  

Not long after leaving the hide, I heard distant Pinkfeet, and located a skein of 37 high overhead, flying south.  Then around three minutes later, a much larger skein came towards me from the west, and went overhead, somewhat closer than the first group.  

Starlings, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 500 (view full size image)

Wren, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 16000 (view full size image)

Green Sandpiper, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1600

Green Sandpiper , 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 2000

Pinkfeet, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1000 (view full size image)

Pinkfeet , 1/2000 sec, f/4.5, 114 mm, ISO 400 (view full size image)

Pinkfeet , 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250 (view full size image)