A morning visit to Corton looking for Shore Larks failed to deliver any so making my way down to Ness Point seemed like a good idea. Scouring around the bushes didn't reveal any hoped for migrants although several flocks of thrushes flew in off the sea so I began to walk towards the wind turbine and immediately spotted a Black Redstart near the caravan park. Moving further on I could see the waves breaking on the rocks at the point and on arrival saw several Turnstone resting on some of the higher rocks out of the spray. A further look revealed two Purple Sandpipers sitting on one of the lower rocks apparently asleep as they didn't move when people came within 30 feet of them.
Purple Sandpipers winter in the British Isles where they arrive from their breeding grounds in Iceland and Scandinavia but can come from Greenland or Siberia. They are a bird of the shoreline and are rarely seen anywhere else apart from the rocky coasts where they feed on small shrimps, crabs, insects etc.
At Lowestoft in recent years between 6 and 10 birds have spent the winter around Ness Point so these two birds are hopefully the first of more to come. Because it was so gloomy today I am hoping to return soon in better conditions which should make the birds appear a little more colourful.
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