15/11/2010

CLIFFE POOLS15/11/2010Monday 11:00 to 13:00 A very good morning spent at what I consider to be a prime site on the Hoo Peninsular. Good number of Dabchick, Tufted Duck and Pochard on Crystal, then off along the track to Flamingo Pool and it was very nice to see a male, female and immature male Goldeneye right out in the middle. The fully winter plumaged male was staying very close to his mate and every time the young pretender came within 25 metres they both threw back their heads in defiance. A good number of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal were also present. A party of 35 Fieldfare chak-chaked overhead and landed in a bush giving me the best views so far this Autumn of this beautiful winter thrush. A lot of Chaffinch and Goldfinch were in evidence. At the Thames viewpoint 15 or Redshank foraged on the tide line. The several hundred if not more larger gulls still sat on the spits of the Tilbury side. Back tracking to the car park more Fieldfare were about. This otherwise fairly dull day was brightened not only by some of the plumages, but by a Gorse bush in flower, with that lovely yellow set against the green foliage. Back at the car park I had a last look for the Black necked Grebe which I have so much enjoyed for the last few weeks and had thought moved on to pastures new, but no there it was commanding my attention with that unmistakable black cap, so much so that I almost missed the female Hen Harrier sailing overhead being mobbed by a couple of Crows as she dipped over the tree line to disappear.Many thanks, once again, to Mr Dave Saunders for this account of his visit to Cliffe Pools. Excellent!