While on the way back from Scilly we stopped off for a quick cuppa and while enjoying that I checked RBA messages and saw that a Temminck’s Stint in W.Yorkshire had been re identified as a Least Sandpiper. This was later changed to the remarkable news that it was actually the UK’s 3rd Long-toed Stint and the first since 1982!
With this news I was on the road early and on site at St.Aiden’s RSPB reserve about 4 hours later. This was my first visit to this site and it certainly looked a very impressive place. On the walk up to view 80+ Pink-footed Geese flew over as well as Siskin and Lesser Redpoll and in the reeds Bearded Tits were pinging away. I was about 3 minutes away from the gathered crowd when I noticed them all walking off! Had I just missed it? Thankfully not as it had pitched down onto an island it visited the day before and was showing very well for the swelling numbers of birders. I spent the next half an hour watching this little mega before heading home to spend some time with my family with LONG-TOED STINT on my list!
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