A light SSE wind with Sunny spells and showers
South shore - high water 09:45 (MD)
I went down to watch the tide cover the saltmarsh.
Kingfisher 1 on Red Nab, it came out from the freshwater culvert in the sloping wall, but then went to fish in the small pool closest to the wall (near the stainless steel bollards). You can tell we are back to spring tides, last night's tide will have "restocked" this pool.
Reed Bunting 5 at least on/around saltmarsh
Common Snipe 38
Jack Snipe 1 (a heavy shower started just after I saw this, so I left for home before the saltmarsh was fully covered)
Lapwing 10
Wigeon 120 - they were feeding on the flooding saltmarsh, there was quite a lot of bickering going on and so very noisy. I took this clip mainly to capture their calls, but the wind made it difficult. Even so you can hear some of the whistling from the males.
Imperial Rd (MD)
I just called in passing there were
Little Egret 7
Grey Heron 1
Magpie 4
All feeding in a small area of recently churned up or partially slurried field, just to the east of the road.
Most of them are in this clip
This clip is just a Little Egret preening with a Mallard in the background. Both birds can be seen to look in the same direction when a potential threat is perceived.Pete managed a quick afternoon check:
Shag 1 waterfall area late pm
Also single Black-Tailed Godwit on tideline near conger rock.
No geese or water birds of note
Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
I'm tempted to say a late evening check, but it was only 16:00!
Mute pair, with again only 5 cygnets seen
Mallard 5 (3 males) main pond 2 males "no swimming" pond
Moorhen 4 main pond, 2 "no swimming" pond
The "no swimming pond was busy!
Little grebe 1 - not sure what's going on here. It surfaced with this dark round thing (snail?) in its bill
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| Little grebe with unknown item in its bill |
It didn't discard it but dived again and didn't resurface in view. They do this when they are taking something large to eat in the margins out of sight. But it may have dropped whatever it was under the water and continued fishing.
Shoveler 1 female
Teal 5 (3 male)
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| Teal, the male now out of eclipse |
Gadwall 22 - most were sat quietly on the water near the edges. But there was one female in the middle with a couple of "interested" males. I have to say she seemed a bit of a flirt! This is what has to be called "making eyes at one another".
Mind you the males were no better, I saw one "making eyes" at the female Shoveler, she wasn't impressed!
