Got down to Marshside this afternoon, it seemed only polite now that the rain has finally stopped.
Water levels predictably very high, although speaking to Graham Clarkson, the sluices are now open...
Clarko is just back from a spiffing trip to Finland - I am deeply jealous.
On the marsh, loads of hirundines over the Sandplant Pools - House Martins, Swallows and a single Sand Martin.
The nesting Swallows on the hide were picking up mud to fortify their nest, and almost flew into Sandgrounders a few times.
Went up onto Mount Baker to check the tide just after 1pm, and it wasn't at all bad - plenty of Common Terns fishing offshore, plus 9 Sandwich Tern close in, and best of all, a single Little Tern heading south along the waterline - remember when they used to be regular south of the Sandplant in the summer? (before the marsh swept south).
12 Common Scoter bombed across the bay not too far out.
Stock Dove on Mount Baker too.
Flocks of squawking young Starlings, Linnets, Skylark, Reed Bunting etc round the Forest of Bale, three Painted Ladies at the foot of Baker, and a few Red Admirals were elsewhere on the reserve.
A big female Peregrine was perched up on the outer marsh.
Left the lagoons to the Canadas and Ruddy Ducks and walked down to Nels.
Water still high here, but there was a Ringed Plover in with the Lapwing and a Greenshank dropped in for a minute or two before flying off north yelping away.
Two of the Mute Swan cygnets are getting very independent, straying off on their own - ahh, ain't they cute?
One male Wigeon off Nels, and several young Pied Wagtails feeding around the islands, plus Shoveler with 8 (or was it 9?) young on the Junction Pool.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »
mike bird wrote...
Hi John, this afternoon I counted 750+ woodpigeon feeding on Marshside Two.
I found many more on Marshside One but didn't have time to count these.
Mike
Posted by: mike bird | June 16, 2007 7:12 PM