PLODDINGBIRDER: Raptors!

Monday 22 September 2014

Raptors!

Arriving expectantly at the fishing boats this morning, I received a call from DW asking if I had seen the 2 Great White Egrets come in off the sea, I hadn't, I was unlocking the gate at the time.

07.15-08.15 was a very slow hour.

Gannet: 19 up

Wigeon: 8 up

Common Scoter: 7 up

Shelduck: 1 down

Brent Goose: 11 up 3 down

Oystercatcher: 1 down

Kestrel: 2 out

Merlin: 1 over beach. My first of the autumn.

Arctic Skua: 1 chasing Terns

Sandwich Tern: c20 off shore

Meadow Pipit: 89 N

Swallow: 21 up

Chiffchaff: 1 by the boats

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Chiffchaff at the fishing boats

I spent the rest of the morning at the observatory and around The Desert and trapping area. Although the bushes appeared quiet, at least 8 Kestrels and 6 Sparrowhawks were around the area 60 birds were ringed mainly Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, also a Firecrest and the superb young male Sparrowhawk below. Also at least 8 Kestrels, 6 Sparrowhawks and 2 Merlin's were around the area and a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits and Swallows, 2 Skylarks, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Black Redstart at West Beach.

After lunch as I was about to pull out of my drive, an articulated lorry blocked me in and my view of the field while it waited for another vehicle to pass, when the lorry eventually pulled away the first thing I saw was a ring tail Hen Harrier just 50mts away cruising by and rapidly disappearing behind the football pitch and over Brett's towards the ranges.

From Springfield Bridge 3 Great White Egrets, a Hobby, a Common Buzzard and 3 Marsh Harriers.

At the ARC from Hanson in the company of The joker 2 more Great White Egrets, 3 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Garganey, 4 Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit and a Knot among c50 Golden Plover, al so numbers of Wigeon are building with a few Pintail. At the south end 2 more Black-tailed Godwits and a pulse of c100 Swallows through.