Dipping out again

As I was staying with my daughter in Cheltenham I took an early morning journey down to Chew Valley to try and see the long staying Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.  Guess what?  It was not there.  I did see really well a Spotted Sandpiper a rarity from North America but it is a species I have seen many times before whereas the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper I have never seen anywhere.




Spotted Sandpiper photographed in Costa Rica


I did meet a few local birders who could not understand why the bird was not showing.  I tried looking at two recommended positions but still not there.  I did amuse myself trying to photograph a Grey Wagtail and watched a Water Rail hurry across a ditch.  Amongst the hundreds of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Gadwall I did find a female Goosander.




My friendly Grey Wagtail


Just as I was packing up to leave a friendly birder informed me my target species had been a Blagdon Lake (just a couple of miles down the road) for most of the day but had just flown off.  Serves me right I suppose.  Some birds you are just not meant to see.