Unexpected Avocets

I got a call from Steve H this afternoon asking if I wanted to go to Cresswell for an hour, easy answer.
We went to Bell’s Pond first where he had seen Yellow Wagtail on Sunday. I had never been to Bell’s Pond before I presumed it was private land or something.
There were some Pied Wagtails on a dried up flash and it didn’t take long for a Yellow Wagtail- Lifer, to appear.
At first we saw three and ended up with five plus a Blue Headed amongst them. The Blue headed quickly flew onto a fence post next to one of the ponds where we got a better view.
As we were watching it I saw a pale looking Pipit land on a fence post a few metres along.
After being distracted by a hare, Steve said a Tree Pipit was calling and the pipit on the fence had disappeared.
He scanned the fields and few trees that were around, we then heard it calling from the trees a few fields away.
On the back pond were 2 pairs of Shoveler and 4 pairs of Gadwall; a Wheatear was sitting on a pile of rocks as we left.

The hide at Cresswell was empty and it looked as if there was nothing on the water but a bit on exposed mud right of the hide made us stay.
I scanned the left bank of the pond and noticed a something flying towards the hide, it was an Avocet.
It did a quick u-turn and landed in the field near the farm towards Warkworth Lane.
Another Avocet soon landed near the exposed mud and began sifting through the water.
Two birders then came into the hide and said they had had three Avocets earlier in the day at East Chevington.
They also pointed out the Little Egret, which had now landed next to the causeway.
Two more Avocets flew from over Bell’s farm and landed on the water. The two birders mentioned that somebody else thought they had 4 Avocets but the bird that landed in the fields didn’t return.

Hopefully it will turn up at West Hartford whilst being chased by a Marsh harrier, which then flushes a Hoopoe, wishful thinking.

I didn’t check Arcot Pond for the Drake Garganey as it hasn’t been seen since and the Lesser Whitethroats are also proving to be elusive.
I can see me adding them to the likes of Goosander, Wigeon, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, Barnacle Goose, Ringed Plover and Green Woodpecker, which I have also missed on the patch this year.