On arrival I realised that it was at the same flooded area where I missed the White-rumped Sand by a few minutes back in September. The rather negative mood was somewhat reinforced when a couple arriving back at the car park told me that it had flown off with the Dunlin!
It was looking like rain and thoughts of turning back and going home entered my mind. I decided to carry on although there was plenty of chuntering on the cold long walk out. The mood changed somewhat whilst nearing the pool when I spotted a photographer acting like he had found something. The pace quickened and my suspicions were correct, the bird was back again.
A mixture of juvenile and adult feathers age this bird as a first winter
The bird also took flight a few times for no apparent reason. Each time giving a trilling call and gaining a fair bit of height before coming back down, not too far from where it started.