Drive by sightings

A quick drive past the reserve this morning and birds observed from the car were four male Wheatear between the main pool and the road and 16 Shelduck doing what Shelducks do. A Kestrel flew NW over the pool and still plenty of Skylark singing. Also about 15 Sand Martins over the main pool.

Recent Sightings

Though the weather has been superb over the last few days with light winds from the south and clear skies, there hasn't been much in the way of birds. Derek Jenkins had four Male and a female Wheatear on the 18th with a few Sand Martins along the Red River and Chris Yates had two male Wheatear around the mian pool on the morning of the 19th.

Six Shelduck were doing the springtime chasing and fighting thing this morning (21st) on the main pool and two Male Wheatears were on the open grass between the main pool and the road. The Phal killing Buzzard was walking up and down the bank of the island in aniticipation of another easy snack and there are still plenty of Skylark singing. Photo right; M.Sallis.

Late news from the Weekend

Bit of late news from Tim Twiggs who visited the reserve on Saturday and Sunday: A summer plumaged Water Pipit was around the main pool on Saturday with 8 Sand Martins and an adult Kittiwake also present. On Sunday there were two male Wheatears on the reserve.

Matt Sallis was also there on Sunday morning and captured the Wheatears on film. Matt also states that Skylarks were very abundant.

At Last.....

Finally caught up with the elusive Ring Ouzel on Saturday morning with the directional help of Monty Curtis. The bird showed well on the grassy bank, west of the main path at the entrance gates to the reserve. It appears we were lucky as it flew low east over the reserve shortly after and as yet has not been seen again. Heres the photo as promised by Steve Rogers. Spring was certainly in the air with 38 Sand Martins over the main pool and a superb male Wheatear nearby. At least four Skylark were singing and two or three Linnets sang. Shelduck numbers totalled nine on the main pool. A Firecrest was at Godrevy Point (Thanks Brian). A short visit in the evening of the same day produced seven Greylag geese on the island, a Little Grebe and two Ravens flew over.

There was no sign of the Ring Ouzel on Sunday 15th, but there were eighteen Purple sandpipers on the rocks at nearby Godrevy Point. These superb little waders occasionally get on the pools onthe reserve so are worth keeping a eye out for. Hopefully the first Little ringed Plover should be seen soon!

Ring Ouzel again.......

Steve Rogers finally caught up (after 10 attempts!) with the male Ring Ouzel on the reserve today (12th). Steve says the bird was on the left as you enter the reserve from the layby, on the grass bank and beside the shallow pool. It was badly disturbed, flushed by the bloody dog walkers on several occasions.
I will post photos on the site soon but in the mean time they can be found on Steves blog.

Recent Sightings

The male Snow Bunting was seen again at 4pm on the 5th March by Alec George, but neither bird could be located on Friday morning by Derek Jenkins. However, Derek reports that the Scaup (3) are still on the main pool with two Shelduck and ten Canada Geese. Plenty of singing Skylark too but no sign of the drake Pintail.

Snow Bunting

John H Johns managed to catch up with the 1w bird on the reserve yesterday (2nd) and got the great shots shown here. The Scaup were still on he main pool too.

Recent Sightings - Sunday 1st March '09.

I could see Steve Rogers (Steve's Blog) on the reserve from the road and phoned him to see if he had seen the Snow Bunting seen by Molly on Saturday. He reliably informed me that he was watching a first winter/female Snow Bunting. I short walk later and Steve informed me that i'd missed it! He managed a few shots before it flew a short distance and disappeared. This was obviously not the male seen by Molly, so there are two Snow Buntings around the reserve at the moment. The drake Pintail and Scaup (3) were still on the main Pool.

Saturdays Sightings

Molly Burnley had a superb male Snow Bunting on the reserve on the 28th and the Scaup (3 fem) and Pintail (drk) were still on the main pool. Two Canada Geese were commuting between the main pool and cattle fields over the road during the afternoon and a Little Grebe and two Shelduck were on the main pool. Eight Curlew flew over towards the beach late afternoon. No sign of any Sand Martins yet.