I left home this morning at 9am where the rain was already falling quite heavily and after a few minutes I parked up near the towers. After wondering what I was doing about to be soaked I made my way up to the towers and looked around the rocks and bushes in the area. I then walked on down the seawall and inland at Coldharbour and up to Chambers Wall car park before refueling and returning the way I had come. Thankfully the rain stopped half way round and I even had a brief shadow at one point before the session remained cloudy but dry. Birds noted were 4 Black Redstart around the towers where I spent an hour on my return getting some photos in the dull light but they showed reasonably well.
Black Redstart
There were 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove, 95 Brent Geese, 6 Meadow Pipit, 1 Greenshank (123) was heard and then seen flying and landing in the oyster farm, 21 Ringed Plover were roosting on the beach, 9 Redshank, 4 Reed Bunting, 7 Grey Plover, 1 Common Tern (124) flew east close inshore, 6 Shelduck and 3 Mallard. There were 10 Turnstone, 19 Sanderling, 3 Skylark in song, 1 Rock Pipit, one flock of 63 Carrion Crow, 5 Mute Swan, 4 Oystercatcher, c400 Golden Plover flying around the area, 2 Shoveler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunlin, 2 Green Woodpecker, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Marsh Harrier displaying and c35 Fieldfare around Chambers Wall. Finally I noted 1 Sparrowhawk, 13 Red throated Diver east with the odd bird sat on the sea and 1 Common Scoter east. Still no hirundines seen today but maybe tomorrow morning will reveal a few new birds for the year. No that much for the camera today but thankfully the Black Redstarts kept me occupied for a while.
Black Redstart
Amazing how the birds/birding scene changes in the different areas of the UK. If four Black Redstarts turned up in a year in our area I think on average we would consider it a good one. Meanwhile, you get four in a morning.
ReplyDeleteExcellent images as always Marc.
KT's computer Marc.
ReplyDeletePete.
What a stunner he is, well photographed Marc.
ReplyDeleteCheers Pete. Seems to be a good passage of them at the moment. I think 4 is my highest total.
ReplyDeleteThe wait goes on then Marc,
ReplyDeleteLooks like this weekend might finally see some arrivals looking at the weather - but then I keep thinking that!!
It's nice to have Black reds. keeping you busy, I like that idea, smart birds.
ReplyDelete