" 5p if we don't find the Purple Sandpipers"

Lured to Kenfig to see if the previous day's Alpine Swift had reappeared (of course it hadn't), Dan and I spent a fair while loitering with Neil Donaghy, Paul Roberts and Dean Bolt in case the Yellow Browed Warbler reappeared (of course it didn't-until we were home). In an effort to find some birds (any birds), we popped to the Watermill (dull), and Portobello ( drake Goosander). Roo Perkins appeared, and asked for info on the Ogmore Purple Sandpipers, which he had always dipped. Dan nobly offered his services, and as I usually dip on them there, I was happy to watch the Purple Sandpipermeister in action. Dan said he'd never dipped on them there and offered me 5p if he couldn't find them, but I owed him 5p, if we did see them. This was going to be good! We scrambled our way over the rocks, pausing only to admire a Guillimot close in. Dan's expression changed from relaxed confidence to edginess, as we walked along "I've usually seen them by now", he said. 5p came closer... Soon Dan turned back towards the car park, leaving Roo and I behind. As he neared the cars, Dan suddenly waved us over, and sure enough, there were at least 5 of the little beauties. 5p disappeared...... As I pondered my fiscal foolishness I glanced up, and saw some sleek dark birds flying low over the sea, heading east, and close in. I put the bins up and was astonished to see 7 drake Velvet Scoters! I shouted some gibberish about white wing panels, and fortunately the others found them immediately. Nice! High fives between Dan and myself left Roo puzzled. He used to live on the East coast of Scotland and had 3 species of scoter regularly. Anyway, the tide approached, and flushed the Purple Sandpipers (15 of them) off the rocks. Time to go home. Roo texted me as I got home, he'd seen the Yellow Browed Warbler. Still I'm not complaining...Oh, and Dan let me off the 5p for finding the scoters....