Local Yellowlegs

After my Brazilian adventure in the jungle, I wasn’t really back into the swing of local British birding, but it’s not often that an American wader makes its way to the Solway. So, a few hours after it was first recorded, I popped over to see whether it was still there. In fact, it was the first bird I clapped eyes on! There, amongst the hundreds of Redshank, it was pottering about feeding happily on the mudflats. Slightly smaller but undoubtedly daintier and more elegant, with comparatively longer thighs, this bird stood out amongst the commoner waders: my first Cumbrian Lesser Yellowlegs. And, by crawling commando-style along the deck, I managed to get close enough for a decent image. I didn’t hang around long thereafter, not least because another birder had arrived, and it also started to rain. I suspect that others might have got better shots of this bird either before or after I was there, but I'm still quite pleased with my images, not least the one featured above - probably my best ever of this species in Britain.