Living on the Marsh

View out to the ARC/RSPB reserve and power station from the small balcony of my new abode! (pity about the cables) Looking forward to all the raptors!

 Finally my move to the marsh has happened and we are now settled in. BT excelled themselves by installing a new phone line and Internet connection far speedier than estimated, so I am now back in blogland.

 First thing at The Point this morning the fog was so dense I could not even see the sea! A wander from the Old Lighthouse to the observatory produced only a Black Redstart. While at the Obs PT HERE text to say he had a Ring-necked Duck (Conningsbrook Bird?) on Lade South Pit. A few minutes later we were watching the duck in the foggy gloom. Myself and King Squacco were about to leave when the fog started to lift allowing better views of the duck while a few parties of Swallow flew through.

 Stopping at the south end of the ARC the Spotted Redshank swam out from behind the sedge very briefly a Greenshank flew in and was flushed immediately by a Marsh Harrier.  2 adult Mediterranean Gulls flew in to wash and preen and a couple more Swallows went through. On New Diggings 2 immature Great White Egrets.
Popped home for breakfast and then a wander round Dengemarsh where a Wood Sandpiper had been seen to drop into Hayfield 3 which was covered in a low mist and heat haze, Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Lapwing could be seen and a Raven and Peregrine flew over. After a spot of lunch and few chores I went back to the south end of the ARC, where 3 Whimbrel and the Spotted Redshank were showing well, until a pair of birders pulled up behind me and got out their car and flushed everything, not the first time this has happened. Please stay in your car if visit this site!

Next stop Dengemarsh and Springfield Bridge with SB and CT. CT could see a wader at the far end of the Dengemarsh flood that puzzled him because of the heavy heat haze. The 3 of us looked there and all I could see was a Redshank but with new directions CT got me onto my first Wood Sandpiper of the year. The 3 of us walked down the side of the flood and the Sandpiper took no notice of us allowing fairly close approach with super scope views. We carried onto Hayfield 3 and the Sandpiper flew over in display flight. On the Hayfield a Greenshank and a pair of Garganey and another Peregrine flew through.

Taken at 21.25 25th April 2013

Many thanks to DW for ringing this evening to let me know of this stunning partial eclipse.
One of the reasons for moving to this particular house is The Big Sky view.