Trying to hold onto the last bit of autumn is as futile as sellotaping the last few golden leaves back on the branches at Dempsey Towers.
And I know they've been around for a month or so, but if there's one thing that spells the start of winter, it's got to be going to check the Weld Road Twite flock.
They really are the most annoying birds - flighty as hell, and when they do all congregate, they generally shuffle along gathering seeds so low to the ground, you can't see the legs for colour rings.
Today on the big, big tide they were bouncier than an overexcited box of Mexican jumping beans in a Chiapas cantina.
At least 60-70 birds feeding just below the seawall, but there were Linnets with 'em as well to confuse an accurate count.
I got down to Weld Road on the high tide, with most of the area inundated with water.
About 1500 gulls riding out the storm on the swell, but it was hard going through 'em in the high wind - just appeared to be the usual five species.
Snipe, Curlew, and a Little Egret going backwards over the Coast Road as the gale, though decreasing, tore through.
The Twite were all bunched together about 200 metres north of the car park, and although some birds were clearly colour ringed, the bright sunlight and wind made it impossible to read 'em accurately (sorry Pete).
Left the Twite scoffing seeds and nipped up to Marshside, where most of the marsh was still covered in water - plenty of Skylarks and wildfowl in the air, with one or two Rock Pipits over the point.
Too blowy for a good raptor show, but Merlin and Kestrel about while the wildfowl and waders began to move onto the estuary as the tide fell.
12 Eurasian Whitefronts feeding on Crossens Inner and Marshside Two, their foreheads blazing white, with 12 Barnacles amongst the Pinkies and ferals, all just about visible from Sandgrounders.
Bet Crossens Outer was good, but I didn't have time to make it up there.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Myself and Mike Stocker had a look at Crossens this afternoon late on, juv Marsh Harrier on the outer marsh, no sign of the GW Teal on Crossens channel but no doubt it's out there somewhere. We didn't pick the Great White out but there were plenty of Littles along with good numbers of Goldies, Lapwing, Black Tailed Godwits, Wigeon etc. We had a look over Crossens Inner as the light began to fade and picked out 5 White Fronts scattered amongst the Pinks over near the Marshside 2 fence, too far and too poor light to make out the race, no doubt we missed some in the groups of Pinks. Still 14 Barnacles as well. We headed to the Marine Lake at dusk and the Great White was in the roost with, eventually 33 Littles. Also impressive for this site were 10 Goldeneye - including 6 drakes.
Mike had earlier had a few Twite on the upper beach at Weld Road. As well as a good flock of Pinks between New Cut and Heathy Lanes with a single Whooper Swan in tow, also 7 Grey Partridge.
Also rather disheartening was some wildfowler asking us about Whitefronts - he'd heard they were around. We get a decent little flock of them by local standards - a pleasure for most of us, and the b*stards want to kill them!
John,
Re your latest post. Below is a link to an old vid of mine from 2008 at Banks. Not 100% sure about the colour rings but I think green is Banks,
Cheers,
Ron
http://youtu.be/lf4jk5trhR0
Hi John, At least 30 Twite today Weld Road along with Skylark and Reed Bunts mixed in the flock, some Snipe showed well driven in by the tide. At least 2 Bullfinch present at Sands Lake along with a large flock of Goldfinch, no sign of the Redpoll that have been around lake in the last week or so.
Recent gales and high tides seem to have swept Crossens saltmarsh clear of the raptors that have been on show for the last five weeks: a single Merlin the only sighting this afternoon.
At least 6 European Whitefronts, 11 Barnacles still on Crossens inner marsh