Got down to the marsh for about 8.20am today - cool and cloudywith a NE/E'ly breeze so the golf course/coastal path was worth a look.
5 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing went over Dempsey Towers before I set out.
Steady passage of birds south including Jay, Skylark, Redwing, Grey Wagtail, Siskin (1), Redpoll (2), CHaffinch, Robins and one or two Goldcrests in the scrub.
At least two Greater 'Peckers (migrants?), with good numbers of Pied Wags and Mipits on Stanley School field.
Hordes of Pink Feet rising from the outer marsh and heading inland for most of the morning - could have been up to 10,000 birds in all, with at least 2,000 on Marshside Two and Crossens Inner alone.
Magpies messing about along the bank - but this one didn't look too clever....
Met Neill and after doing the coastal path we headed up to the Sandplant and parked up.
A singing Chiffchaff in the bushes there, with more Robins, and Mipits, Skylarks overhead.
Still loads of Pink Feet in the air.
Small Tortoiseshell and one or two Peacock butterflies on the wing, with a single Migrant Hawker in the car park.
The Glossy Ibis was back and showing occasionally on Marshside Two, where up to 8 Little Grebes were diving in the channels.
Moorhen showing off its big daft feet there too.
We walked down to Nels Hide, along with Tropical, who by midday had managed a light breakfast (probably two grilled wildebeest, with a venison side order) and was now firing on all cylinders.
Pity Marshside One wasn't.
A roost of Black Tailed Godwits held three colour ringed birds from Iceland if you look closely at the pic above, you can just pick two of them out (gen to follow), and Snipe, Lapwings etc joined the wildfowl, but it was pretty quiet, until about 300 Mods went past on their scooters.
Tropical counted between 5 and 10 Buzzards heading south inland - passage birds maybe?
Left the boys and walked up towards Crossens as the tide pushed in.
Met Mike Bird, who tells me the groovy Short Winged Coneheads have been doing their stuff north of the Sandplant again.
A single Little Egret and a few Sparrowhawks were about, but Crossens Outer itself held a large roost of waders - Dunlin, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Ruff - looks very promising.
A Sparrowhawk spooked them and the Starling habitually, but the tide didn't really cover enough of the marsh to push things too close.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies....
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john wrote...
Just back from dipping the Bardsey Bluetail. Two Yellow Browed Warblers and a Firecrest (plus an island tick) were some consolation.
More shortly.
Posted by: john | October 2, 2007 7:34 PM