10:45am to 1:45pm. Weather: Cold, dank, overcast & grey; still.
Wintry visit partly to test the new 'scope against the conditions particularly at sea-watching which my previous scope struggled with. It was a horrible day, I was forced into the hide by heavy, drizzly rain & the sea was shrouded in a damp mist which made it impossible for me to pick out any velvet scoters amongst the thousands of commons, even with the new 'scope.
Car-park.
Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch.
Picnic Area.
Robin, Blue Tit
Song Thrush - one in the undergrowth.
Pheasant, Greenfinch.
Visitors' Centre's Feeders
Collared Dove, Lapwing, House Sparrow, Moorhen (underneath), Dunnock, Long-Tailed Tit.
BULLFINCH - 2 male, 2 female; walking along the path to the fen hide from the visitors' centre I spotted the first pair at the top of trees along the main path. The first two were soon joined by another couple. I was delighted because it was completely unexpected & bullfinch was a species I haven't seen in many years.
Island Hide.
Coot, Mallard, Gadwall, Lapwing, Pintail, Teal, Brent Goose, Black-Headed Gull, Shoveler, Redshank, Shelduck.
Ruff - 3 from the hide, but up to 20 later viewed from the path near to the new 'Parrinder' wall.
Oystercatcher, Avocet, Curlew, Snipe - 2.
Adjacent Marshes.
Spotted Redshank - 2, with a redshank wading in a small pool on the marshes opposite the island hide.
Wigeon - also grazing in the field.
Brackish Marsh.
Reed Bunting, Black-Tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Herring Gull, Goldeneye - 1 female.
Sea.
Common Scoter - approx 2000 in an impressive raft, accompanied by several gulls. The mist meant I couldn't pick any ducks with white which would indicate velvet scoters but it's the largest collection of common scoters I've ever seen.
Freshwater Marshes.
Crow, Cormorant.
Visitors' Centre's Feeders.
Water Rail - one nervously under the feeders before skulking away into the undergrowth, after a good close-up view.
Mealy Redpoll - no sooner had the rail disappeared than a flock of goldfinch were noticed in nearby alders. A quick scan revealed a different looking bird, that was much more streaky on first impressions as it flitted about, but it soon became obvious it was the redpoll that had apparently taken up residence. Although mobile in the branches it allowed good views, showing pale undersides, streaked breast & a flash of red on the face. My first mealy & my first redpoll in many years - bullfinch & redpoll in one day!
45 species, 1 new species.
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