Sunday 27 August 2023

More Sandwiches

It just about remained dry after an early shower. A freshening NW wind.

South Shore (MD)
Just one check today, on the shore out from the foreshore just after morning high water.
Red Nab not checked.
Wheatear 5 along foreshore 
Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore 
There were lots of waders along the waterline:
Curlew c150
Oystercatcher c100
Bar-Tailed Godwit 24
Grey Plover 197
Knot 391
Dunlin 685
Turnstone 2
Redshank c100 close to saltmarsh 
Ringed Plover 15 close to saltmarsh 
Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin

These are some of the Grey Plover, Knot, Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin

Male Bar-Tailed Godwit, still largely in summer plumage, with Dunlin

Sandwich Tern 48 at least - there was one main resting group, but birds were leaving and arriving all the time. The highest count was 45 resting plus at least 3 blogging.
Common Tern 1 resting with the Sandwich Terns.
This is the resting group including the Common Tern

This clip shows the Common Tern more clearly and the location of the resting group.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Just a brief check of the two main ponds in passing.
Mute Swan 2 adult 8 cygnets 
Coot 9 all on main pond and still squabbling!
Moorhen 1 - the only bird on the "no swimming" pond
Mallard 4
Tufted Duck 1 female
Mallard and female Tufted duck - just traces of a tuft now.
Yesterday, Janet accidentally flushed a female Pheasant with a recently fledged brood.

These Kestrel shots from Janet are from the Barrows today.
Kestrel


Janet also had a raptor visit her garden this evening 
Sparrowhawk