Saturday 30 May 2015

Sanderling Surprise!

The blue sky and sunshine on this mornings walk to The Patch was once again deceiving with a march like chill in the air. From the hide c80 Common Terns, a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull,27 Gannets flew west and 6 Sandwich Terns. Walking back a Black Redstart was singing and 3 Swallows came in off over the bund and rested on the perimeter fence. Another Black Redstart was singing by the car park with another near the observatory.
Following a report of a Dusky Warbler in Dengemarsh Gully, myself and AJG made our way there meeting MH there but there had been no further sign of the bird for at least an hour, indeed there were very few birds there, just a couple of Common Whitethroats, Linnets and the usual Wrens and Dunnocks to be seen.
As most of my day was taken up with domestic stuff, this evening I did the circuit from Springfield Bridge via Christmas Dell, the visitor centre and Hookers back to the bridge.  
 In the hayfields still at least 4 Lapwing chicks, 2 pairs of Egyptian Geese, 1 pair of Shoveller and hordes of feral Greylag and Canada Geese. A Bittern was booming at a windswept Dengemarsh and a couple of Marsh harriers were making half hearted attacks on a pair of Coot. While scanning the islands from Makepiece a flock of c60 Sanderling flew in briefly alighting before heading off towards the ARC, probably the largest wader flock I have seen this spring. The return via Hookers was uneventful apart from a family of Foxes.

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