Sunday, September 10, 2006

Kingfisher and an American Wader

Where to? Now there was this church in Essex open this afternoon that is on my list, I could bird locally and then pop in. However I'm on call next weekend so I may as well go further a field. Damn that's two churches I could have got this weekend (the other was open Saturday). Oh well next year!

So off nice and early (Robin in the garden, first for ages). A bit foggy. I decide that i'll head to Lackford Lakes. It's a Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve. I don't expect any rarities but some nice thing will be about.

The Geese were making a right noise! Lots of Warblers in the hedgerows. Dark legs Chiffchaff then, and one was nice enough to sing! Its a bit murky from the first hide and the angle of the sun makes it difficult to get a good view. Lots of Pochard about suddenly and Teal.

On to the double decker hide. Kingfisher is perched RIGHT in front of the hide must 30feet away. They are stunning birds. I manage to pick out a Snipe in the grass and a couple of Green Sandpipers.

A Grey Wagtail drops down in front. A really dapper little chap. Green woodpecker in the distance. Jays making a right racket (sp?)

Onwards and upwards. From Besses lots of Grebes of both sides. A juve Great Crested Grebe is being fed by a parent. Ah!

Dave texts me to tell me about his Pectoral Sandpiper at Grafham Water.

Oh way back to car park more warblers. Look a little brighter but legs dark and the tail bobbing up and down. More chiffies. Long tail flock in bushes as I drive away.

So where now? Well I'll pop over to Welney for lunch and a nose around.

I've arrived at lunch time so a quick bite and then onto the reserve.

Hand over card.

"oh there's a Pectoral Sandpiper at Buxton".

So as I say lunch and ..... no I think we'll scoot on to Buxton first!

Lots of Lapwings, but there next to a Dunlin and a Curlew Sandpiper is a Pectoral Sandpiper (juvenile I'd say, seemed to have the white braces on his back). There's a couple of Snipe, lots of Ruff as well.

Back for lunch and a Kestrel hovering over the fields.

A quick flit back to the reserve (flyover Sparrowhawk) and then back home.

The weather is lovely ah nice day.

4 comments:

KAZ said...

I love grey wagtails - like kingfishers they don't really look 'British' somehow.
Must swot up on my waders and warblers.

Cherrypie said...

We had a dozen Grey Wags feeding at the high tide mark the other morning, and there were peewits ( Lincs for lapwings) curlew, widgeon and teal all flying about.

The highlight were the geese that flew over, disturbed by a passing micro-light. It was awesome, like something from a WW2 movie. They dove down within yards of us. A truly fantasctic sight. You'd have loved it x

The Quacks of Life said...

Fly past geese are wonderful. You should go to Norfolk in winter. Streams of Brent and Pink Foot. Watching them take off of the morning or come back at night is one of the sites. Will be some back end of Oct.

Uh you sure they were greys? Lots of juvenile Pieds about at the moment. If you did see loads you are so lucky I've only ever seen two together!!

KAZ said...

Peewits is Lincs for Lapwings - tuwits is Lancs for lapwings!

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