23rd January
A mild bright start dulled in with the high tide at 11.35 am.
A Brambling was spotted on the roadside feeders earlier. 4 Shelduck were out on the mudflats and a Grey Heron was perched along the tideline.
Grey Heron hunched up on the edge of the saltmarsh.
The usual flocks of Oystercatchers, Dunlin and a few Grey Plover, made their way in on the incoming tide. As the tide started to recede, 23 Curlew flew in onto the saltmarsh at Biglands to roost. Shortly after, a skein of about 100 Pinkfeet flew NE across the saltmarsh and headed inland along the estuary.
Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Dunlin on the tide's edge.
Waders feeding on the incoming tide.
Curlew dropping in onto the saltmarsh . . .
. . . to roost.
Curlew in a spot of sunshine.
At the Wetlands Centre, a Yellowhammer appeared briefly in the bushes behind the bird feeding station. Walking down the Lonning there was a good display of Wigeon and Teal on the Meadow Pools:
Yellowhammer behind the Centre feeders.
Wigeon and Teal on the Meadow Pools.
Reaching the hide, Pintail(17), Shoveler(6), Wigeon, Teal and Lapwings were all visible across the wetlands in front. It was good to see a mixed flock of geese (175 Pinks and 65 Barnacles) grazing the wet meadows towards the eastern fence. Eventually they took to the air, having been disturbed by the sound of a plane in the area. Flying off over the water they could be seen dropping into a field just west of the boundary fence.
Pintail on the water RHS of the hide.
Shoveler also.
Lapwing, which had been roosting on one of the grassy islands, having a fly round.
Pinkfeet and Barnacle Geese - looking across the meadow east of the hide.
. . . peacefully grazing.
Flying off after disturbance . . .
. . . but landing again not far away.
Returning to the estuary, a Kestrel was spotted intently watching the saltmarsh from a tree on the roadside.
Kestrel observing the marsh after the high tide.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS
12.35 pm - 35 Pinkfeet west of the Viaduct. 40 Curlew - saltmarsh at Scargavel Point and 30 near the Saltmarsh Pool. Yellowhammer - Feeders/ Center.
Visitor - Pair of Gadwall near the wood in front of hide.
Visitor - 2 female and 1 male Bullfinch on Lonning.
24th February.
A dull hazy day with a very strong SW wind. A few small flocks of Barnacle passed through. Some landed east on the saltmarsh by the boundary fence.
A small group of Barnacles passing by - seen through the haze.
Barnacles circling to land near the boundary fence.
Dunlin and Oystercatchers on the incoming tide.
High tide Oystercatcher roost near Byers Cottage.
Signs of Spring perhaps! - Snowdrops lining the Reserve entrance.
Visitor - A Whooper Swan seen from the hide.
PB & BB - From the Hide: Teal, Wigeon, Little Egret, Buzzard, Pintail, Mallard, Shoveler.
Visitor Center: Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit - on feeders.
Collared Dove, Martin.
Tide's edge : Avocet amongst Oystercatchers, Curlew and Dunlin.
26th February.
Storm Jonas brought rain and very strong SW winds.
At 9 am a large flock of Barnacles could be seen out on the mudflats off Scargavel Point. It was well before high tide and so we presumed they were gaining some shelter from the trees and houses of the hamlet.
The hightide at 1.30pm came raging in and flooded the saltmarsh nearly to the road. The Kestrel was seen keeping a lookout from marsh edge trees.
Storm Jonas - Oystercatchers battling against the wind.
Oystercatcher and Barnacles flying low over the rough water.
Tide flooded most of the marsh, right up to the gorse-line.
The Kestrel viewing the marsh as the tide came in.
DB - Male Hen Harrier from hide; Avocet on tide's edge with Oystercatchers; 600 Pinkfeet and 80 Barnacles on the farm.
27th January
A dull wet start to the day didn't deter the finches, sparrows and tits on the roadside feeders. The female Brambling was still amongst them.
Early morning feeding on roadside hangers.
Female Brambling.
Conditions started to clear up early afternoon, with the incoming tide. The sun came out and a brisk NW wind was blowing. Aerial displays of waders could be seen along the whole stretch of the estuary as far as the Viaduct.. A good sized Wigeon flock was out on the water and a group of 34 Grey Plovers flew west along the tideline. As the tide came in, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler and Oystercatchers were pushed nearer the shore. Small groups of Barnacles could be seen flying low over the water most of the afternoon.
Dunlin formation.
Dunlin in flight with Oystercatcher, Pintail, Shoveler and Wigeon below.
Grey Plover flying west. Note black 'armpits'.
Wigeon well out on the water.
Dunlin landing amongst the Oystercatchers.
Barnacles flying west.
28th February.
A bright early start to the day soon dulled in to more misty conditions by late morning. A brisk westerly wind was keeping the sea rough.
A couple of hours before hightide (High water at 2.39pm), a flock of about 100 Curlew came steaming along the estuary, only to wheel round at Scargavel Point and come back to land on the mudflats near the Viaduct. Aerial displays of waders were starting to appear and they continued for a good part of the afternoon.
The female Brambling, now with a large group of Chaffinches, could be seen feeding on the roadside hangers.
These high tides were moving the Barnacles in and out of the estuary and so late afternoon several skeins were seen flying west low over the water.
Curlew restlessly flying along the estuary . . .
. . . and landing back on the mudflats.
Shelduck foraging in the bay west of the Viaduct.
Female Brambling on roadside feeders.
Skein of Barnacles flying now in quite misty conditions.
29th January.
The wind had veered to NW overnight with storm force gusts - Storm Gertrude was upon us.
The consequent being that birds were keeping hunkered down until the gale subsided.
30th January
Rough seas were still the order of the day on the estuary. A small flock of Oystercatcher could be seen picking about amongst the foam as the tide raced across the mudflats.
Rough seas with the incoming tide.
Oystercatchers eagerly feeding on the tide's bounty . . .
. . . and seeking a better roosting place.
Today, being Saturday, was the first day of the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch. Below are a few of the birds recorded in our garden.
Four of the six Long-tailed Tits counted, feeding with a Blue Tit. Long-tailed Tits were only very periodic visitors to the garden.
Coal Tits have increased in numbers over the recent years.
Female Brambling, a migrant visitor, infrequently seen here in the garden in winter. It was associating with some 33 Chaffinches.
Magpie - a regular garden visitor.
Tits seem to favour the Squirrel-proof nut feeder.
A rabbit put in an appearance.
31st January.
Watched a flock of 100 Pinkfeet flying in a north-easterly direction over the hamlet.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS.
PB - Saltmarsh Pool: Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Snipe. Barnacle Geese flew over.
Feeders: Tree Sparrow, Chaffinches, Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Yellowhammers.
Tree behind: Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Wood Pigeon, Collared Doves and Stock Doves, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Magpie, and Robin.