Left one behind but bumped into another here

The Safari enjoyed the Barcelona training match, just desserts for the others sending 'Pool back to the Championship - serves them right!!!
On the way back to Base Camp we had planned to bunk in to Kielder, a place we've not yet been, for a quick blimp round but bad weather put paid to that idea. On home we found out about a Terek Sandpiper on the Northumbrian coast which had we known about it before we left Temporary Base Camp we could probably have twitched it.

Ahh well never mind...

Today we weren't expecting to get out on safari but a morning full of 'txts' had us heading down the motorway to he newly opened but long-time hotspot not far from our fomer home, Brockholes. The attaction being a summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper, all the way from North America.
As soon as we arrived we were very kindly put on the bird (182) by a young lad who's name we ought to remember but embarrasingly don't - apologies to you if you're reading this.

2011 is turning out t be a bumper year for lifers...at this rate we be joining the 400 club by the year end...or maybe not :)...

The supporting cast of other waders included a few Little Ringed Plovers, Redshanks with chicks and Lapwings. Over the water a good number of Swifts, easily the most we've seen so far this year, hawked for insects along with a smallnumber of Sand Martins and House Martins. Suddenly there was a buzz of excitement amongst them as they called anxiously and bunched together. The reson was soon clear as a Hobby (183) dived through them a couple of times before circling off to upset those over another of the ponds behind the trees. Marvelous stuff.

A few minutes later we were joined by MJ and young ones, AB generously allowed us to use his scopefr some digipics.

On the way back to the new floating visitor 'village', which has a sort of Iron Age crannog feel about it, AC's eagle-eyes spotted this large Froghopper trying to hide in the Nettles. It's a distinctive little chappy which we should know the name of.

The visitor village had some interesting interpretation including recordings of some of the birds found on site...however the Water Rail did sound more like a gang of Chimpanzees to us.
The reserve has been developed from a former gravel quarry and on of the exhibits explained very well the different rocks brought to the site by the last Ice Age.

And then we found a typo...very last line...not sure if anyone has spotted that and we hope we havn't upset any of our many mates who work for L(etc)WT

Where to next? News has just broken of another Yankee wader, this time on the South-side but not another lifer, so we will be heading off over the river with the young ones tomorow morning - a reward for their info today.

In the meantime le us know who has trouble with the keyboard in your ouback.