There seems little happening on the Titchwell forum lately so I thought I would pose a question. What is your favourite wader at Titchwell and why? As with children you shouldnt have favourites but I guess mine would be the Redshank simply because it was one of the first wader I ever identified. You've got to love Avocet and Curlews too haven't you...
I love lapwings. As a child I remember counting them from the window of cars and buses during winter journeys. Sadly it's harder to do this now and I suspect my young son will have fewer oppotunities to do this than I did. They are a great heralder of spring with their crazy dipping flight and unreal calls. I also love the huge variety of local names thay have the norfolk one being pyewipe.
Hi Robert, yes I know what you mean. I knew I shouldn't have limited myself I forgot about lapwings! They too were one of the most easy "spottable" and instantly recognisable as a beginner, also in flight. On another forum a few weeks back we were saying how we didnt realise they came so far inland but they are regularly in a field near my house 20 miles inland on outskirts of Norwich. The chicks are very sweet too. Yes, definitely must add them to the list! Wish I was at Titchwell today - first sun here for ages!
Hi :)
Green Sandpiper, they can be found in any month of the year but are never reliable. They have subtle plumage at rest but an evocative call and total distinctiveness in flight.
As a teenager they were a sought after autumn migrant at my inland local patch. It's always great to find one on my current patch :)
S
My favourite at Titchwell is probably the dunlin. They can be a bit of a ID challenge especially in autumn and when there is a big flock around, you never know what could be among their ranks.
Away from the reserve, the best wader has to be the wrybill of New Zealand although I haven't been to see it yet http://www.oceanwanderers.com/Wrybill.html. They have a crazy bill that curves up to the side (like a sideways avocet) that allows them to feed under stones. Keeping with the bill theme, the spoon-billed sandpiper is another must see but these are now critically endangered with only a handful left wintering in SE Asia. http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2009/03/sbs_surveys.html