A chilly start developed into a gloriously sunny and near cloudless day. Over the high tides, selected counts and estimates were 1400+ Wigeon, 4-figure count of Oystercatcher, 510 Dunlin, 3-figure counts Teal and Curlew, 259 Redshank, 80 Grey Plover, 80 Black-headed Gull, 45 Ringed Plover, 44 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 30+ Knot, 23 Turnstone, 16+ Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Sanderling, three juv Curlew Sandpiper, three Sandwich Tern, two Mediterranean Gull and a Greenshank. Small waders were decidedly skittish with the presence of two Sparrowhawk and Peregrine, the latter departed with prey.
The Bight still held 92 Linnet and a Rook landed on the wader island at dusk. The raft of 37 Common Scoter was the only notable sighting at sea.
High hopes for overhead passage were too high for our sea-level observations with only 25+ Meadow Pipit,12 Swallow, two Siskin, two Stock Dove and a House Martin through. An all day total of 51 Lesser Black-backed Gull south was the highlight.
From their roost in the Italian Alders of the car park departed 78 House Sparrow. Elsewhere in bushes and dunes, 20+ Goldfinch, 12 Skylark, 12 Chiffchaff, eight Stonechat, four Wheatear, four Greenfinch, three Reed Bunting, two each of Jay, Goldcrest and Blackcap, a Coal Tit and a late Garden Warbler.
Wildlife News: thanks to two curious and responsible dog-walkers, the position of a large moth in the dunes was marked, enabling it to be re-found and identified as a Convolvulus Hawk-moth (photo on Twitter post).
No comments:
Post a Comment