The Guadalhorce today

Another Sunday, another morning at the ponds after a week when I've not been able to get down for sundry reasons. As we are drawing towards the end of the migration period I didn't hope for too much but was pleasantly surprised by both the variety (11 spp.) and number of waders with high numbers of Redshank (38), Dunlin (c.53) and Ringed Plover (30+), plus a couple of Little Stint in breeding and 3 Knot, these latter all new as one bore colour rings and all showed less breeding plumage than those of last week, while 4 Bar-tailed Godwits are still present. There are very few Sanderling, all now in breeding plumage, and not a single Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper or Common Sandpiper. The female Avocet continues to sit, by my reckoning she should hatch her chicks around the middle of this week and we shall all become surrogate parents!