9:30 - 11:45am. Weather: heavy rain shower on arrival, but stopped leaving grey & overcast conditions with a breeze (SW).
First visit to a site that often seems to have some great species. I hoped to connect with passage arctic terns which had been reported over the past few days & the diver that has been in residence the past few months. In contrast to the previous day the weather was pretty bad but it soon cleared & clouds of insects soon sprung up! I approached from the A3044 side.
Great-Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Coot.
Mallard, Tufted Duck, Black-Headed Gull.
Cormorant - drying out on the barges.
Pied Wagtail - a couple flitting along the walkway.
Red-Breasted Merganser - I was heading towards the far-side of the reservoir to get a feel for the side before being called back by a fellow birder who I had passed as he walked his dog. Luckily he'd been informed by some other birders of this dapper -looking male that had just flown in. It stayed for 20-30 minutes before apparently flying off south-west.
Little Gull - the birding gentleman also pointed out where these cracking gulls were busily skimming the waves or not so busily floating & preening in the water. Several were adults with the lovely rose-pink wash to their underparts & I counted up to 12.
Swift - at first I heard the screaming then large flocks swirled overhead & away north. Their numbers were probably in the hundreds but lessened throughout the morning.
House Martin - a couple in amongst the earlier swift flocks.
Hospital Corner:
Wigeon - 1 male.
Shelduck - a pair.
Great Northern Diver - I had some nice views from the midway point of the causeway but completed my walk by heading up to the 'far-side' of the reservoir hoping for a better view but after a brief glimpse it promptly disappeared & did not show again despite waiting for at least 30 minutes!
Gadwall - 2 males.
Walk back:
Starling, Crow,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - 1 overhead.
Reed Bunting - 1 male flitted along into the scanty path-side shrubs.
Greylag Goose - 1 on the near-side shore.
Meadow Pipit - only heard overhead.
A good location for a clutch of nice species, one I may well visit again, though not sure about the swarms of insects, at least they help attract the birds!
22 species.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Hampstead Cemetery, West Hampstead, London, 24/04/2010
11:05am - 12:15pm. Weather: bright, sunny, war, slight breeze (E).
Beautiful day for a patch visit, with Kim. She went for a run as I walked the usual route.
Entrance:
Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin.
South-side:
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird.
Chiffchaff - inconspicuously feeding at the top of a shrub, then 2 or 3 heard around the rest of the cemetery,
Blackcap - heard first then connected with a couple, male & female, towards the sports field,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - distant, drifting east,
Magpie - pair,
Crow - 1, Jay - 2,
UCL Sports Grounds-side:
Coal Tit - 1, feeding high-up,
Song Thrush - singing then flying off in far north-west corner,
East-side:
Starling, Long-Tailed Tit.
Goldcrest - heard singing as I headed to the exit.
19 species.
Beautiful day for a patch visit, with Kim. She went for a run as I walked the usual route.
Entrance:
Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin.
South-side:
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird.
Chiffchaff - inconspicuously feeding at the top of a shrub, then 2 or 3 heard around the rest of the cemetery,
Blackcap - heard first then connected with a couple, male & female, towards the sports field,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - distant, drifting east,
Magpie - pair,
Crow - 1, Jay - 2,
UCL Sports Grounds-side:
Coal Tit - 1, feeding high-up,
Song Thrush - singing then flying off in far north-west corner,
East-side:
Starling, Long-Tailed Tit.
Goldcrest - heard singing as I headed to the exit.
19 species.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Hampstead Cemetery, West Hampstead, London, 10/04/2010
12:45 - 2pm. Weather: bright, sunny, warm, light wind (E).
Spring-time patch visit notable for the feisty greenfinches squabbling near the garden of remembrance.
South-side:
Robin, Blue Tit, Greenfinch.
Wren - heard.
Chiffchaff - 2.
Blackcap - 2, male & female.
Blackbird, Magpie.
Chaffinch - heard.
Woodpigeon.
Jay - 2.
Great Tit - 1.
UCL Sports Grounds:
Crow - 2.
East-side:
Greenfinch - over, then approx. 6 fighting.
Goldcrest - 1.
Coal Tit.
Starling - 2.
17 species.
Spring-time patch visit notable for the feisty greenfinches squabbling near the garden of remembrance.
South-side:
Robin, Blue Tit, Greenfinch.
Wren - heard.
Chiffchaff - 2.
Blackcap - 2, male & female.
Blackbird, Magpie.
Chaffinch - heard.
Woodpigeon.
Jay - 2.
Great Tit - 1.
UCL Sports Grounds:
Crow - 2.
East-side:
Greenfinch - over, then approx. 6 fighting.
Goldcrest - 1.
Coal Tit.
Starling - 2.
17 species.
RSPB Sandy, Bedfordshire, 06/04/2010
3:45 - 5pm. Weather: bright, hazy, windy (SW).
On the way back to London I wanted to call in at the RSPB's headquarters which I had often passed when on the way to & from Norfolk. Rob & I arrived quite late in the day but had a pleasant walk around the smallish reserve where much work was being carried out to restore the original heathlands from the pine plantations. Although we popped in to the Meadow Hide we didn't see anything we hadn't seen already before getting there.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Crow, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Wren, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird.
Pied Wagtail - 2.
Stock Dove - 3.
Long-Tailed Tit, Robin.
16 species.
On the way back to London I wanted to call in at the RSPB's headquarters which I had often passed when on the way to & from Norfolk. Rob & I arrived quite late in the day but had a pleasant walk around the smallish reserve where much work was being carried out to restore the original heathlands from the pine plantations. Although we popped in to the Meadow Hide we didn't see anything we hadn't seen already before getting there.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Crow, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Wren, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird.
Pied Wagtail - 2.
Stock Dove - 3.
Long-Tailed Tit, Robin.
16 species.
RSPB Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, 05/04/2010
9:40 - 12pm. Weather: cold, windy (SW), rainy.
Another Easter expedition day & another new reserve to visit, this time an early start to get to the other side of the Wash. The weather was miserable but I was not to be deterred in visiting a reserve that has excellent records of some tricky to see species. There was also more evidence of Spring migration & the weather eventually settled.
Car-Park.
Little Egret - in fields from car.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull (over).
Lapwing, Greylag Goose, Swallow.
To Visitors' Centre.
Greenfinch, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard.
Visitors' Centre to 360 Hide.
Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Snipe.
Reed Bunting - several flitting alongside the path.
Skylark - several singing enthusiastically.
360 Hide.
Mute Swan, Coot, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Redshank, Wigeon, Canada Goose.Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit.
Ruff - 1.
Pochard - 1 female.
Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Magpie.
Reedbed Hide.
Linnet - a few flitting amongst the vegetation of the 360 scrapes.
Twite - c20; from the hide I looked back to the 360 scrapes & I saw a flock of what I assumed were the earlier linnets. However as I looked closer I noticed yellow bills & the penny dropped that these were in fact twite, which I had hoped to see at this reserve. Before I could get another look after checking the field guide they flew off twittering distinctively towards the East Hide, which was a bit frustrating!
Yellow Wagtail - no sooner had the twite disappeared than this wonderful bright bird perched on the pathside wire in good view of everyone in the hide. It then flew down into vegetation before disappearing.
Pied Wagtail.
WHITE WAGTAIL - with the pied wagtails a few distinctively paler individuals, a nice bonus & a UK-first for me after last seeing them when I lived in Germany 20+ years ago!
Avocet.
East Hide.
Curlew.
Visitors' Centre.
Whooper Swan - 2, a nice pair from the centre.
Crow.
40 species, 1 new species.
Another Easter expedition day & another new reserve to visit, this time an early start to get to the other side of the Wash. The weather was miserable but I was not to be deterred in visiting a reserve that has excellent records of some tricky to see species. There was also more evidence of Spring migration & the weather eventually settled.
Car-Park.
Little Egret - in fields from car.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull (over).
Lapwing, Greylag Goose, Swallow.
To Visitors' Centre.
Greenfinch, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard.
Visitors' Centre to 360 Hide.
Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Snipe.
Reed Bunting - several flitting alongside the path.
Skylark - several singing enthusiastically.
360 Hide.
Mute Swan, Coot, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Redshank, Wigeon, Canada Goose.Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit.
Ruff - 1.
Pochard - 1 female.
Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Magpie.
Reedbed Hide.
Linnet - a few flitting amongst the vegetation of the 360 scrapes.
Twite - c20; from the hide I looked back to the 360 scrapes & I saw a flock of what I assumed were the earlier linnets. However as I looked closer I noticed yellow bills & the penny dropped that these were in fact twite, which I had hoped to see at this reserve. Before I could get another look after checking the field guide they flew off twittering distinctively towards the East Hide, which was a bit frustrating!
Yellow Wagtail - no sooner had the twite disappeared than this wonderful bright bird perched on the pathside wire in good view of everyone in the hide. It then flew down into vegetation before disappearing.
Pied Wagtail.
WHITE WAGTAIL - with the pied wagtails a few distinctively paler individuals, a nice bonus & a UK-first for me after last seeing them when I lived in Germany 20+ years ago!
Avocet.
East Hide.
Curlew.
Visitors' Centre.
Whooper Swan - 2, a nice pair from the centre.
Crow.
40 species, 1 new species.
Rutland Water, Egerton, Leicestershire, 04/04/2010
2:20 -5:30pm. Weather: cloudy but bright, cool; cold wind (southerly).
Departing Teeside heading to Norfolk I wanted to visit the famous reservoir on the way, & hoped to see an English osprey. It was a long drive, but not too gruelling down the motorway & it was good to see the finally see the place I'd heard so much about.
Car-park, Visitors' Centre & Hides.
Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan.
Egyptian Goose - 2.
Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Black-Headed Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Moorhen, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Shelduck, Rook.
Song Thrush - heard only.
Chiffchaff - singing near the hide, one of the first of the year.
Redshank.
Robin - heard.
Goldeneye, Crow, Shoveler.
Pheasant - heard.
Dunlin Hide.
Oystercatcher, Redshank, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull.
Swallow - 3 arriving migrants.
Sandpiper Hide.
Little Ringed Plover - 2 on a small sandbank then another flew in to make 3.
Dunlin - 1 with the LRPs.
Shoveler Hide.
Scaup - 2 on the reservoir's far-side from the hide, kindly pointed out by a fellow birder.
Little Grebe.
Visitors' Centre.
Wren - heard.
Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch.
Mallard Hide.
Great-Crested Grebe, Curlew, Kestrel.
Sand Martin - plenty buzzing around the reedbeds & over lagoon 1.
OSPREY - after being disappointed in not seeing any birds on their nesting platforms, we were about to depart disappointed when one floated in from the south & high over the hide. Quite distinctive & although I had seen one in Britain before in Scotland (which I didn't record anywhere) this was my first in England.
Car-park.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - the trees adjacent to the car-park.
Woodpigeon - a usual car-park dustbin presence!
50 species.
Departing Teeside heading to Norfolk I wanted to visit the famous reservoir on the way, & hoped to see an English osprey. It was a long drive, but not too gruelling down the motorway & it was good to see the finally see the place I'd heard so much about.
Car-park, Visitors' Centre & Hides.
Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan.
Egyptian Goose - 2.
Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Black-Headed Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Moorhen, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Shelduck, Rook.
Song Thrush - heard only.
Chiffchaff - singing near the hide, one of the first of the year.
Redshank.
Robin - heard.
Goldeneye, Crow, Shoveler.
Pheasant - heard.
Dunlin Hide.
Oystercatcher, Redshank, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull.
Swallow - 3 arriving migrants.
Sandpiper Hide.
Little Ringed Plover - 2 on a small sandbank then another flew in to make 3.
Dunlin - 1 with the LRPs.
Shoveler Hide.
Scaup - 2 on the reservoir's far-side from the hide, kindly pointed out by a fellow birder.
Little Grebe.
Visitors' Centre.
Wren - heard.
Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch.
Mallard Hide.
Great-Crested Grebe, Curlew, Kestrel.
Sand Martin - plenty buzzing around the reedbeds & over lagoon 1.
OSPREY - after being disappointed in not seeing any birds on their nesting platforms, we were about to depart disappointed when one floated in from the south & high over the hide. Quite distinctive & although I had seen one in Britain before in Scotland (which I didn't record anywhere) this was my first in England.
Car-park.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - the trees adjacent to the car-park.
Woodpigeon - a usual car-park dustbin presence!
50 species.
Widdybank Fell, County Durham, 03/04/2010
2 - 7:30pm. Weather: cloudy, some sunshine, a few showers, one heavy & long.
After a snooze to recover from our early morning outing, Rob & I headed off to a location where Rob had seen ouzels before, another target bird for the trip. We parked up & headed off towards Cow Green Reservoir & then joined the Pennine Way, along Falcon Clints to Widdybank Farm & then Sayer Hill, before a long slog up the road back to the carpark. A much longer walk than I do normally but thoroughly enjoyable, even after nearly getting a leg sucked off in a hidden bog & after getting caught in a downpour when the heavens opened up, & with some great upland birds too.
Widdybank Fell.
Golden Plover - a few couples about, presumably preparing to breed, later on several over calling.
Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Curlew - all seen amongst the upland tussocks.
Red Grouse - a few with heads poking out from the heather & calling distinctively.
Black-Headed Gull - over the reservoir.
Ring Ouzel - 3, after a quick stop for lunch besides the river which flows from the reservoir, Rob & I clambered down to the Pennine Way. As we did so we looked down into the valley where we were headed & I caught a good look at a distinctive black bird with a white collar perched bodly on a rock. It wasn't there for long but it was close & distinctive: a male ring ouzel. As we descended we saw the individual again as well as a couple more including a good view of a female which clucked disapproval at our presence for a few minutes until it disappeared & we headed off, well satisfied.
Dipper - as we continued along the path next to the river a distinctive dumpy bird in the river was unmistakeable. An unexpected treat, a bird I hadn't seen in a while.
Widdybank Farm.
Pheasant, Redshank.
Snipe - 2, roding constantly over a nice secluded area of upland bog, a great sound & nice to see the birds after only hearing them in the dark in the morning.
Common Gull, Starling, Fieldfare, Skylark, Woodpigeon.
Black Grouse - distinctive lekking calls heard but we couldn't locate them on the hills.
Song Thrush - 2.
Greylag Goose, Oystercatcher.
20 species, 1 new species.
After a snooze to recover from our early morning outing, Rob & I headed off to a location where Rob had seen ouzels before, another target bird for the trip. We parked up & headed off towards Cow Green Reservoir & then joined the Pennine Way, along Falcon Clints to Widdybank Farm & then Sayer Hill, before a long slog up the road back to the carpark. A much longer walk than I do normally but thoroughly enjoyable, even after nearly getting a leg sucked off in a hidden bog & after getting caught in a downpour when the heavens opened up, & with some great upland birds too.
Widdybank Fell.
Golden Plover - a few couples about, presumably preparing to breed, later on several over calling.
Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Curlew - all seen amongst the upland tussocks.
Red Grouse - a few with heads poking out from the heather & calling distinctively.
Black-Headed Gull - over the reservoir.
Ring Ouzel - 3, after a quick stop for lunch besides the river which flows from the reservoir, Rob & I clambered down to the Pennine Way. As we did so we looked down into the valley where we were headed & I caught a good look at a distinctive black bird with a white collar perched bodly on a rock. It wasn't there for long but it was close & distinctive: a male ring ouzel. As we descended we saw the individual again as well as a couple more including a good view of a female which clucked disapproval at our presence for a few minutes until it disappeared & we headed off, well satisfied.
Dipper - as we continued along the path next to the river a distinctive dumpy bird in the river was unmistakeable. An unexpected treat, a bird I hadn't seen in a while.
Widdybank Farm.
Pheasant, Redshank.
Snipe - 2, roding constantly over a nice secluded area of upland bog, a great sound & nice to see the birds after only hearing them in the dark in the morning.
Common Gull, Starling, Fieldfare, Skylark, Woodpigeon.
Black Grouse - distinctive lekking calls heard but we couldn't locate them on the hills.
Song Thrush - 2.
Greylag Goose, Oystercatcher.
20 species, 1 new species.
Langdon Beck, County Durham, 03/04/2010
5:30 - 7:30am. Weather: misty dawn, heavy sleet & snow showers.
One of the main reasons to visit Langdon Beck is that it's one of the best places in the country to view lekking black grouse, so Rob & I got up & out before dawn in the hope of experiencing one of the wonderful sights (& sounds) of spring. The weather was disappointing but the birds were not.
Oystercatcher - a couple standing on the gravel in a layby of the main road.
Snipe - what sounded like several birds roding constantly in the pre-dawn gloom; quite an unearthly sound but though very close we didn't see any birds doing it.
Curlew, Lapwing.
Black Grouse - just like the snipe the sound of the lek was heard long before we were finally able to pick out some birds from the expanse of the moor visible from the road. There were at least half a dozen males involved in the lek & though the morning was gloomy we had some good prolonged sightings & some fantastic leeking behaviour.
Meadow Pipit, Skylark - also heard.
Holwick Scar
1pm. Weather: heavy rain shower.
Wheatear - one male, three females; first of the spring & a splash vibrancy in the gloom.
One of the main reasons to visit Langdon Beck is that it's one of the best places in the country to view lekking black grouse, so Rob & I got up & out before dawn in the hope of experiencing one of the wonderful sights (& sounds) of spring. The weather was disappointing but the birds were not.
Oystercatcher - a couple standing on the gravel in a layby of the main road.
Snipe - what sounded like several birds roding constantly in the pre-dawn gloom; quite an unearthly sound but though very close we didn't see any birds doing it.
Curlew, Lapwing.
Black Grouse - just like the snipe the sound of the lek was heard long before we were finally able to pick out some birds from the expanse of the moor visible from the road. There were at least half a dozen males involved in the lek & though the morning was gloomy we had some good prolonged sightings & some fantastic leeking behaviour.
Meadow Pipit, Skylark - also heard.
Holwick Scar
1pm. Weather: heavy rain shower.
Wheatear - one male, three females; first of the spring & a splash vibrancy in the gloom.
RSPB Saltholme, Middlesbrough, County Durham, 02/04/2010
12:30 - 2:30pm. Weather: overcast, grey, cold, still.
First outing on the third annual Easter extravaganza, this time I wanted to visit the uplands of the north east of England where I hoped to see a couple of specialities of that habitat. To start though I picked up Rob up from Middlesbrough train station mid-morning after a very late night drive up from London the night before. As well as the uplands I wanted to visit on the RSPB's flagship reserves in the area after reading quite a lot about it in the membership magazine. It was easy to find & a pleasure to visit covering an impressive area of land which yielded an impressive number of species.
Sand Martin - first of the returning summer visitors just after the visitors' centre.
Tufted Duck, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch, Coot, Magpie.
Wildlife Watchpoint:
Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit, Mallard, Redshank, Meadow Pipit.
Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Little Grebe - heard from reedbeds.
Cormorant, Crow, Linnet (3 over), Greylag Goose, Kestrel.
Paddy' Pool Hide:
Mute Swan, Great-Crested Grebe, Moorhen.
Brown Hare - one hunkered down in a form; we heard the hide volunteer saying that there are several on the reserve & before the area became a reserve people often chased them with their dogs for some sport.
Teal, Curlew, Shelduck.
Mediterranean Gull - scanning the black-heads I picked out this beauty which I wasn't expecting & which I shared with the others in the hide.
Avocet - a couple on one of the islands in front of the hide.
Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Starling.
Saltholme Pools Hide:
Hooded Merganser - a lone male busily fishing in a more secluded part of the pool, as always with this species it seems there was speculation of its origin & whether it was just an escapee. Judging by the lack of reports on the internet & in magazines subsequently published it was not considered worthy of a genuine vagrant status, but a first for me nonetheless.
Pink-Footed Goose - a lone straggler on the adjacent grassland not look in the best of health, looking rather forlorn & obviously incapable of flying further north with the big flocks.
Goldeneye, Pochard - lone male.
Little-Ringed Plover - alerted to its presence by others in the hide, it foraged a channel at the edge of the pool affording excellent sightings before wandering out of view.
Pied Wagtail, Great Black-Backed Gull, Skylark - heard over the meadows as we made our way back to the car.
An excellent reserve that has already far exceeded its expected numbers of visitors, as it matures it can only get better which is an exciting thought, & a great way to get the Easter holiday up & running.
42 species, one new.
After Saltholme Rob & I continued along to Seal Sands & then out to Seaton Carew. There wasn't much at Seal Sands other than huge oil processing plants & we then passed a Wildlife Trust reserve on the way to the coast. At Seaton Carew we walked amongst the dunes to the beach & watched some impressive kite-surfers, impressive because the wind was freezing & the beach was covered in oil & other detritus! It was an impressive scene nonetheless but we eventually headed off up into the hills.
First outing on the third annual Easter extravaganza, this time I wanted to visit the uplands of the north east of England where I hoped to see a couple of specialities of that habitat. To start though I picked up Rob up from Middlesbrough train station mid-morning after a very late night drive up from London the night before. As well as the uplands I wanted to visit on the RSPB's flagship reserves in the area after reading quite a lot about it in the membership magazine. It was easy to find & a pleasure to visit covering an impressive area of land which yielded an impressive number of species.
Sand Martin - first of the returning summer visitors just after the visitors' centre.
Tufted Duck, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch, Coot, Magpie.
Wildlife Watchpoint:
Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit, Mallard, Redshank, Meadow Pipit.
Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Little Grebe - heard from reedbeds.
Cormorant, Crow, Linnet (3 over), Greylag Goose, Kestrel.
Paddy' Pool Hide:
Mute Swan, Great-Crested Grebe, Moorhen.
Brown Hare - one hunkered down in a form; we heard the hide volunteer saying that there are several on the reserve & before the area became a reserve people often chased them with their dogs for some sport.
Teal, Curlew, Shelduck.
Mediterranean Gull - scanning the black-heads I picked out this beauty which I wasn't expecting & which I shared with the others in the hide.
Avocet - a couple on one of the islands in front of the hide.
Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Starling.
Saltholme Pools Hide:
Hooded Merganser - a lone male busily fishing in a more secluded part of the pool, as always with this species it seems there was speculation of its origin & whether it was just an escapee. Judging by the lack of reports on the internet & in magazines subsequently published it was not considered worthy of a genuine vagrant status, but a first for me nonetheless.
Pink-Footed Goose - a lone straggler on the adjacent grassland not look in the best of health, looking rather forlorn & obviously incapable of flying further north with the big flocks.
Goldeneye, Pochard - lone male.
Little-Ringed Plover - alerted to its presence by others in the hide, it foraged a channel at the edge of the pool affording excellent sightings before wandering out of view.
Pied Wagtail, Great Black-Backed Gull, Skylark - heard over the meadows as we made our way back to the car.
An excellent reserve that has already far exceeded its expected numbers of visitors, as it matures it can only get better which is an exciting thought, & a great way to get the Easter holiday up & running.
42 species, one new.
After Saltholme Rob & I continued along to Seal Sands & then out to Seaton Carew. There wasn't much at Seal Sands other than huge oil processing plants & we then passed a Wildlife Trust reserve on the way to the coast. At Seaton Carew we walked amongst the dunes to the beach & watched some impressive kite-surfers, impressive because the wind was freezing & the beach was covered in oil & other detritus! It was an impressive scene nonetheless but we eventually headed off up into the hills.
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