Yesterday was blustery and still pretty cool but there were signs of some movement with a Greenshank out on the MDZ Pools and the most breathtaking Red Kite I have ever seen (away from the breeding areas) which cruised over the top of the Garrison and headed straight for the Centre balcony where everyone quickly gathered to watch this magnificent bird eye to eye as it circled firstly over the wildlife garden and then the car park with the sun illuminating the rich browns, reds, black and white. It gained a little height before heading across the Thames and into Kentish air space. Simply superb....
Today started brighter and with almost no wind and within the first half an hour a Swallow had zipped along the river wall adding itself to several Bird Race team lists in the process! A short while later Jonathan Cooke walked back to the centre to tell us that he had just found a pair of Garganey (our only summer visiting duck) on the pools just past the Purfleet Hide!
We all zoomed out and managed to find the dozing male with his chocolate head and curving white eye blaze in amongst the sedges. I later found his other half too and both showed well on and off during the day.
Thanks to Alan Shearman for getting a shot of this lovely little duck.
A Little Ringed Plover was seen on the same pools and a drake Common Scoter spent the day moving up and down the river with the tide. Lots of Marsh Harrier and Buzzard action today with at least six of the latter in one kettle at lunchtime.....
A few more Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were singing in the Cordite and Ricky Blackman had a Firecrest which was the first for the year and had been on our radar for a few days now as a possible arrival.
Weather is looking very poor again for tomorrow but hopefully something else will sneak in...
2-4-15
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer