Apart from last month's brief visit to Kalmthout Heath and twitching the Waxwings on the outskirts of Ghent, all of my Belgian birding so far this year has been within Brussels. I thus made a long overdue visit to the polders at the coast earlier this week, and was greeted by several displaying Lapwings with their comical, spikey crests. Some Black-tailed Godwits were also displaying while a group of at least 73, presumably migrants waiting to head further north, loafed around on a shallow pond. Other waders included Avocet, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Ruff and two Spotted Redshank, as well as a single Purple Sandpiper hanging out with the Turnstones under Blankenberge Pier. I was especially pleased to find the Purple Sandpiper since that will no doubt be heading back north very soon. It was probably my last chance to catch up with one before the winter, therefore, whilst recently arrived summer visitors included several Sedge Warblers, a Bluethroat which sat up and sang on a songpost for me to admire, plus a single Barn Swallow. In the punk stakes, however, even the Lapwings were outdone by a Little Egret in full breeding plumage, complete with its extra-long head plume and yellow socks!
