Sull's birding diary: Oriental pratincole and Temminck's stints

The Lincs oriental pratinicole had been at Frampton Marsh RSPB for a good few days and was now joined by temminck's stints. So feeling adventurous, I set my alarm for 3.45 am to get to Frampton by 6.30. Usually when I plan such an early start, I go straight back to sleep but this time was alert and eager to get going. On the way, several muntjac deer were seen on the roadside just outside Northampton. When I got to the Marsh, I decided to make a bee-line for the East hide where a birder was already leaving having not seen the pratincole. Had to wait for about 15 minutes before I found it sticking its head out of some grass on one of the islands. For the next couple of hours, it would periodically fly about in front of the hide before resting on the islands. I managed to follow it with the video facility on my FZ18 camera after a few failed attempts.

I then turned my attention to the stints. Checked every wader I could see - dunlin, snipe, godwits, avocet, lapwing, sanderling, ringed, little ringed and grey plover, oystercatcher, curlew sandpiper, ruff, redshank, knot, but no Temmincks. I had a feeling that it may be over the other side out of sight, so I walked towards the 360 hide and was proved right: not one but two stints were in full view. Standing next to a ringed plover you could clearly see their diminutive size.

Had an Eccles cake and a cup of coffee in the visitor centre and thought about stopping off at Welney WWT to see the bluethroat but decided against it and left for home.

video of oriental pratincole in flight. Little gulls
can also be seen in this clip