Last night saw another of our Late Night Openings.... Despite the earlier showers it stayed dry and a fantastic evening was experienced by those who took the gamble.
The wader fest from during the day persisted into the after hours session with 29 gloriously lit Black-tailed Godwits feeding out on Purfleet with Little and ‘normal’ Ringed Plover, teetering Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers, probing Snipe and flocks of roving Starlings adding to the mix.
Black-tailed Godwits (Tony Orwell)
Starlings (Val Callen)
Three of the day’s five Garganey were once again on show; nice stripy faced birds with lots of character and Little Egrets and Grey Herons were gathering to hunt for frogs, some of which were being foolishly noisy....
Marsh Frog (Peter Clayton)
Garganey (Mark Vale)
As the night drew in we were treated to a fine fiery sunset and the Marsh Harrier made a last pass over the pools and then the Barn Owl came out on cue and even perched up in front of an overjoyed young Ben.
Sunset (HTV)
Those who lingered for the Spotted Crake had brief views and as the light dropped the whole population of Coots moved out into the middle of Aveley Pool and Migrant Hawkers were hunting as late as they could as their aerial prey increased...
Migrant Hawker (Dawn Cowan)
All back in the centre for coffee, cake and camaraderie before watching the skies at 9.31 for the glowing appearance of the International Space Station as it hurtled 250miles overhead at 17,000mph. It was so clear that you could see the shape through your bins and in the scope it looked like a Star Wars Tie Fighter (and yes appropriate Star Wars dog fight noises were made). Four minutes later and it was gone, to be replaced by the looming, slightly chomped, even brighter and scarred looking mega-moon of recent days.
ISS (Tony Orwell)
Some more, ‘as we were leaving’ Glow Worm hunting revealed a couple with the lights on and in the still air you could hear crickets in the grass, the wickering of the Black-tailed Godwits, the slightly nervous ‘chiffiffing’ of three invisible Wood Sandpipers and even an Avocet which must have snuck in while the light faded....
Glow Worm (Tony Orwell)
Lunar (HTV)
The fact that it then took me nearly an hour and a half to get back to Rochester did not dampen what was otherwise a wonderful late summer chill out....
14-8-14