TIME - 17:00 - 19:40
WEATHER - Cold and blustery wind.
Visit timed to coincide with the high tide (7.1 according to Boston Tide Tables booklet).
At last - an accompanist! Thanks in abundance to Geoff the postman (was with me for all the time except for last half hour), and without his help I wouldn't have been able to add two new Lifers to the list, and I wouldn't have seen the reservoir at the site! Very deceptive, as seeing the wetland from normal eye level you can't see it; it looks as if it's all fields, but if, like me and Geoff today, you get up on to the bank near the Plummers, you can see it very well!
LIFER 1 - SISKIN. Male on bird feeders.
LIFER 2 - COMMON SANDPIPER. On reservoir. Extra height pays off nicely!
Other species seen:
Little Grebe - 4 on lagoon
Great Crested Grebe - at least 3 far out on sea
Cormorant - 1 on that metal H-frame on shoreline
Mute Swan - 1 on drain on the way
Pink-footed Goose - 5 on reservoir, 2 on shoreline
Greylag Goose - 1
Canada Goose - usual scattered
Brent Goose - 3 large flocks on wetland and a few more when the tide was at its height
Shelduck - Usual at various places
Mallard - usuals
Gadwall - 2 on reservoir
Shoveler - 4 on reservoir - ** PATCH LIFER **
Tufted Duck - few on reservoir
Eider - 6 flying over the sea - ** PATCH LIFER **
Goldeneye - few scattered
Sparrowhawk - 1 on marsh - ** PATCH LIFER **
Pheasant - usual in fields
Moorhen - 2 (heard)
Magpie - 4
Carrion Crow - 5
Usual Doves, Woodpigeons
Oystercatcher - 2000 on lagoon at high tide
Avocet - 20 on lagoon
Ringed Plover - 4 on lagoon
Knot - 2000 on lagoon at high tide
Sanderling - about 50 on lagoon at high tide
Dunlin - 1500 on lagoon at high tide mixed in with the Knot
Little Stint - 3 on lagoon
Redshank - usual dotted around
Black-headed Gull - usual around the reserve
Herring Gull - 50 in air
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1
Arctic Tern - 3
Swallow - 1
Skylark - 1
Meadow Pipit - 5
Pied Wagtail - 1
Dunnock - 1 on hide path
Robin - 1
Mistle Thrush - 2
Blackbird - 10
Great Tit - 2
Blue Tit - 1
Starling - many in various places
House Sparrow - 14
Tree Sparrow - 6
Chaffinch - 1 (heard)
Goldfinch - 20
Greenfinch - 10
Reed Bunting - 5
Yellowhammer - 1 near feeders
PHEW!!!!!! Hope you weren't too bored reading that! Just goes to show how valuable an extra pair of eyes are... thanks again, Geoff, for 'delivering the goods' with the Siskin and Common Sandpiper!!! Over 50 species today; now THAT'S what I call birding!
2 Lifers = a pizza, which I am now going to order!
** Takes bow, exits stage left with grin on face **