The trip started off at dawn with a visit to the fresh water marsh that has been created by the July & August rains. Sharp tailed sandpipers and long toed stints were the biggest numbers of waders present. Also 17 white winged terns, purple herons, black winged stilts, wood sandpipers and little ringed plovers were all present.
After lunch I headed out on the mudflats for the afternoon rising tide and the high tide roost. Huge numbers of waders were present with over 600 Great Knots. The flag ringed Turnstone (above) was originally ringed in south west Australia. The Kentish plover (below) wearing a blank blue flag ring was originally ringed in Japan. This constituted the first Japanese flag ringed bird to be recorded in the Yangkou area.
I failed to locate any spoon billed sandpipers today and became slightly concerned if I would fail in my quest to see them on I their southward bound migration route via Yangkou. 