Thursday 1 March 2018

What a morning

I was out chasing down Tim's Smew from last night, BSl was being blasted with strong East winds and blizzard conditions. No sign from the golf course strip, so decided on the West side, John McGowan joined me as we headed round anti clockwise, our faces being frozen off as we went.

We met Andy T and scanned the south end of the island, nothing, Andy went South John and I headed back and I suggested a quick diversion to Sandford to be sure.

Oh boy was that a good idea, a small wader popped out off the East side of the old Tern island, "Dunlin"....."yep running across the island" John said...."no it isn't it's sat still" I said. We had two, but I scanned and found not just the 2nd Dunlin, but 1, no 2, no 3 Ruff hunkering down in the blizzard with Lapwing....you beauty!

No time left before my lift obligations, I had to encounter yet another crunch on Sandford Mill hill, got through and went off for chores.

Not long went by, when Brian was saying no sign of the Ruff, but now at LFGP where they had Golden Plover, 4 Dunlin, 3 male Pintail & Jack Snipe.

I was down pretty quick despite the now closed road.

The Golden Plover went missing, but could still be local, but the Dunlin group grew to a flock of 7, 3 of which were right in front, 3 male Pintail were very nice and brief glimpses of the Jack Snipe.

Other saw Peregrine, Brambling was at Bittern hide feeders, Snipe were flying around everywhere and a group of around 7-8 finches were just Siskin and 3+ Lesser Redpoll opposite the Mill.






I haven't had time to add my finding the Mediterranean Gull yesterday too


These four additions puts me on 93 out of 96, just one to match 2012, so it's going pretty well

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