Backsand Scrape - hoping for migrants

Spent Saturday at Sandwich Bay hoping for migrants. Met Steve Reynaert at the Restharrow hide where 3 ruff were keeping their distance but otherwise quiet. Walked down to the beach and back looking for migrants without success then decided to head for Backsand hoping for the reported Curlew Sandpiper and other migrant waders. THe photographic hide was occupied when I arrived so amused myself taking egrets and greenshank in flight

Looking I across the scrape I located the Curlew Sandpiper on the far side. After about an hour it had moved in front of the north hide so I walked around and was able to get a few shots. Exposure was tricky into the sun  and it wasn't as close as I would have liked but these were the first shots I have got of this species since 1987!

Looking back across the scrape I noticed the photographic hide had been vacated but despite the tide rising all that came close in the 3hours I waited were the greenshanks, green sandpipers and the tufted duckling that I took 5 weeks ago when it was just a ball of fluff

Not a bad day but not my most productive trek to Backsand either. Had hoped for a bit more and would have been nice to get the Curlew Sandpiper from the photographic hide.