Jubilee Sunset

You could be forgiven for thinking Ray Davies was about to turn up, but it is less prosaic than that. This morning I happened upon a Common Sandpiper on Jubilee after a message from Steve. Funny wader he said, and indeed it was. I got within about 30cm of it, but guess what? Yup. I returned this evening with a camera, and no surprises it wasn't around. Bugger. There were about twenty trillion people though, including a drunk who wanted to have a play with the camera.

"Lemme look through it!"
"Sorry mate, no."
"Why not?"
"Nobody's allowed to touch it apart from me"
"Shukafuckawucka" (or somesuch)

Call me cruel, but people the wrong side of a few cans of Diamond White do make ideal telephoto lens handlers. Or at least I don't think so. I suppose there's a possibility that he could have nailed an amazing photo of something nearby, but I suspect that some spittle and grease would have been more likely, with an outside chance of terminal damage. To the lens, and subsequently to him. On balance it was better to decline.

So, no Sandpiper, but the Barnacle Goose that visits occasionally was back, as were a pair of Egyptian Geese and a pretty fearless Heron. Until the attention became too much, I had a decent fifteen minutes in some pretty nice light.

A new Duckzilla?

I didn't yet mention last night, it was very exciting. With less than ideal timing, a boozed-up Hawky decided to chance his arm last knockings at Barking Bay. First bird he stumbled across (probably literally) was a Tawny Pipit. Hell's Bells! I was out of the house in approximately 30 seconds, leaving Mrs L to turn off the cooking dinner... Ooops. Bigger ooops for not thinking to phone any like-minded local filthy twitchers until I was practically on site. A salutory lesson, and I feel bad. Next time. Anyhow, Mo beat me to it, but it was still there, and we had a couple of flight views, with Prof W cashing in on the final one just before it got dark. A gem of a London tick, and one for Essex too. Amazingly not a yeartick, as I got the one at Landguard in the spring. Hopefully this means they're getting common again. Hawky has posted a few photos here. Legend.