Wait a Linnet!

With only a few hours again this morning and having to be home at 815am I left home this morning at 4.50am where the plan was to beat the dawn chorus and try to hear if any Nightingales were singing yet in the area. Part of the plan worked, I did beat the chorus just about but did not hear any Nightingales singing. Last year I first heard them on the 15th April so I may have a few days yet to wait! After the dawn chorus picked up I moved on and drove over to Shuart where on the way I saw 1 Barn Owl perched on a post before it flew off into the darkness. Arriving at Shuart where it was still dark I had a quick walk around the area hearing 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Backcap and near the reservoir it was pleasing to hear my first Sedge Warbler singing from the small reedbed. I then moved on to Chambers Wall where I walked down to Coldharbour and west along the seawall to the green wall junction before retracing my steps back. The sun soon popped up leaving a beautiful morning and a few birds noted including c35 Cormorant, 4 Skylark, 2 Pheasant, 2 Greylag Geese, 4 Corn Bunting, 3 Tufted Duck, c40 Meadow Pipit, 6 Reed Bunting and although quite common I can never get near the Linnet as they are so wary. This morning at last I was given the opportunity by 1 individual to get a few pleasing shots of this species.

Linnet

Other birds noted were 4 Shelduck, 13 Oystercatcher, 7 Redshank, 18 Mute Swan, 3 Mallard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Turnstone, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 2 White Wagtail which still prove hard to capture on the camera, my best image yet but a bit of work to do on these ever wary birds.

White Wagtail

There were 4 Ringed Plover, 142 Sanderling roosting at Coldharbour and 1 Mediterranean Gull was heard calling. Not a bad session at all, just nice to be out and about walking around never really knowing what you might encounter on the bird front.

Reed Bunting