I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied
(from Sea Fever by John Masefield)
This morning the cold drizzle of a November morning and the combined effects of a low pressure sweeping over southern Britain and a blocking low in the north was just enough to raise a small surge tide and run a bit of water onto Ousefleet grazing Marsh. Amazingly as soon as the murky and cool waters had found their way through the creeks and rhynes of the marsh and into the shallow depressions coalescing to form pools then the ever expectant wildfowl flighted in and started to take advantage of the annual weed seed. It still amazes me how they suddenly appear from know where when we get an inundation but somehow they do. So now at last the marsh is as it should be at this time of year, wet and full of whistling wigeon and babbling teal not to mention the greedy greylags and gordy male mallards. Yahoo.
Below - The positive effects of a surge, water lying on Ousefleet saltmarsh!
And wigeon in front of Xerox - they take a bit of beating just for pure showmanship!
Despite still needing quite a bit more water the reserve is looking pretty fantastic at the moment with some top notch viewing to be had of an excellent range of species.
Lets start with the waders which for early November are present in pretty good numbers. Peak counts have included 21 black tailed godwits, 60 dunlin, 2 spotted redshank, 25 ruff plus the usual supporting cast of lapwing, golden plover, curlew, redshank and snipe. And remember our last avocet chick to fledge who was nicknamed limpy? Well I'm pretty sure that the lone avocet present is this bird returning on the tides, good to see him surviving despite his disability!
Dunlin in front of Townend hide - not often you get near enough for photo's like this
Birds of prey especially at the roost have been good value with merlin, hen harrier, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier and now barn owl all showing. Also a good chance of peregrine hunting for the now increasing food supply!
There has been a continued strong passage of whooper swans too with a herd of 30 over yesterday afternoon and then smaller dribs and drabs of smaller parties going south and landing on the lagoons.
Still a bit of vis mig over the site but also a few twite in with the linnet flock which are often found next to the car park. The cettis warblers are still present and interestingly seem to be another bird that likes the habitat particularly the blue zone (the bit between the reed and the bank) where the lads have been nibbling! Stonechats too have been pretty much ever present, look out for them hovering above the reedbed and then diving back down.
Below: one of the lads In the thick of it - can you spot him?