A kind soul at Abberton happened to mention that there were good numbers of pintails at Mistley Quay. As it was on our way home (kind of!) we decided to investigate:
It's inevitable that my attention would be caught by a suitably dominant herring gull!
Happily, there were indeed a good number of these beautiful ducks about.
This one was a little more shy.
I know they're not native but aren't black swans absolutely stunning?
A lovely curlew makes me even happier!
I love shelducks. There's no mistaking them!
A young black-headed gull peers at me.
A purposeful black-tailed godwit.
There were a few of them about.
I'm finishing with a couple of the local pigeon mafia.
Or should that be Frisky Ferals?
Enjoy, as always.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Love the Pintail Ducks Clare splendid looking birds, and the "we come from a land down under swan".
Regards Shane
My Photos in Flickr.
certainly appeared well worth calling in there on your way home Clare, the Pintail drake is stunning and as yous say, good to see a Black Swan and Bk.t-Godwit. I always love to see (and hear) Curlews, one of my favourite wading birds and the gulls are always entertaining although I often wish I had earplugs in when the larger gulls go into squawk mode lol.
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Regards, Hazel
Nice set of photos, Clare. The Pintail is such a smart looking duck. You got some good close-ups of the Godwit and Curlew as well as the Black Swan.
Well worth putting Mistley Quay on your regular visiting list.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Another great collection, Clare. Black Swans are certainly stunning, native or not! And Male Pintails are such very elegant-looking birds and definitely in my top 10 of ducks. I'm with Hazel in liking the sight and sound of Curlews. I still remember watching one catch and eat a frog at Titchwell and that was nearly 30 years ago! We'll have to investigate Mistley Quay for future reference.
Kind regards, Ann
I loved the pintail and black swan photos. I have seen pintail from such a long distance that I can't really say I've seen one! As for black swans the first I ever saw was way back in my youth, a family holiday near Dawlish where there were quite a few. I still love to see them.
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