Trips and Dips

Purple Heron at Saltholme? Dipped.  Richard's Pipit at St. Mary's?  Dipped.

And now the better news.

Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Greatham (consolation prize):

(Trust me - it's the one on the left!)

Pectoral Sandpiper at Castle Lake:

And today, early start (via Maccy D's), and to Sleddale/Commondale.  Windy, cold, clear and occasionally bright.  It took until 11:00 am for the first Rough-legged Buzzard to show, from the chevrons, arriving from the north over the tumulus and after two failed attempts at catching Red Grouse, it landed on the west side of a tall conifer along Sleddale Beck (so out of sight).  A second Rough-legged Buzzard arrived a wee while later and had a dogfight with a Common Buzzard.  Also seen were Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine by the time I left at 12:30pm.

The one that got away:

Seen the hunted, now the hunters: