Dipping

The Whoopers were still in the Kale field at Midley on Walland Marsh this morning also a Merlin there. A plod around The Moat, Lloyds, West Beach, Lighthouse Garden and the Station Gorse  found just 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, a Black Redstart and 3 Sparrowhawks. Overhead a few Chaffinches and c400 Starlings came in.

Just along the road at Lade north pit the Long-tailed Duck was still present also a single Goldeneye with Pochard and Tufted Duck flock. In the Sallows several Water Rails squealing 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and 3 Redpolls. Overhead a couple more Redpolls and 3 Siskins and 2 Swallows.

 Long-tailed Duck Lade north pit

 Great White Egret taken through glass at Firth hide

On the reserve 3 Great White Egrets round Burrowes, While I was in Makepiece hide c2000 Starlings in several flocks flew across Burrowes having just arrived. When I entered Scott Hide BB called telling me a Penduline Tit was showing well in front of Hanson. It only took me a few minutes to get there and as I walked into the hide the Tit dropped into the reeds, despite staring at the reed bed for a couple of hours it was not not seen or heard again today. Apparently it was ringed, so is probably the same bird that has turned up for the last 2 years at this time of year. To make things worse just before I arrived SB and others in the hide had a Shorelark fly over the ARC. Some consolation was a Bittern flying across the lake into the reeds on the other side of the hide, a couple of distant Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers and a couple of Snipe. While there news came through from SB of a Long-tailed Duck on Burrowes from Makepiece Hide. I made my way there curious to see if it was the Lade bird. When I saw it I could see immediately that it was a different bird as it was much whiter on the face. I finished the day at Galloways hoping for a Short Eared Owl but only saw 4 Red-legged Partridges.