Thursday 31 October 2013

Godwits Galore - 31st Oct

After the beautiful day yesterday when it was duty day with the twins I was looking forward to a lovely day out this morning but, oh no, lets have a damp, dreary day for your reward!  Not to be put off, I went to Seasalter and waited until the rain stopped, drinking coffee, just seeing a marsh harrier over the arable fields. The tide was still up on the beach allowing me to count the waders on the beach in front of the chalets by the Sportsman. A count of 65 ringed plovers and c.200 dunlin plus 8 redshank, then as the tide left the beach a large flock of 240 barwits landed on the freshly exposed mud just below the beach. Amongst them 260 knot and c.25 grey plovers, quite a nice surprise on such a morning and no dog walkers to scare them off.

                                                         Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot

No sign of the wheatears or whinchat today, I rather hoped they would hang to be a November tick. Chaffinches were moving west again, c.150 during my hour and a half. Brents were very few I only counted about 50 here, maybe more further up. A peregrine swooped across the fields behind putting up the c.600 strong flock of golden plover plus lapwings must which must be of similar numbers.

Brent Goose

The same 'orangey' marsh harrier appeared again and c1000 starlings were diving around, sometimes landing in the fields or onto the beach looking for food.

Common Gull

Earlier, I stopped by the Ski Club where a couple of common gulls were having an argument on the posts. I didn't check the 'island roost' today as a dog walker was coming along the beach which is probably why the waders turned up near the Sportsman. 

1 comment:

troutbirder said...

Beautiful photography....:)