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| Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis |
Friday 2 May
Another beautiful warm and sunny day and probably the hottest local day of the year. Over to Farlington Marsh by 10 o'clock and started with a walk to the viewing point on the seawall then back to walk across the meadow to the old barn before completing a clockwise circuit of the reserve. As soon as I started the walk through the bushes and trees Wren, Robin, Greenfinch, Whitethroat and Blackbird recorded along with a Woodpigeon. A Carrion Crow moved away as I approached the small pond on the left which held a Mute Swan and pair of Mallard. Up onto the seawall and the empty mudflats provided both Herring and Black-headed Gulls. Looking over to the marshes I could see Canada Geese, Shelduck and Lapwings.
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| Lapwing Vanellus vanellus |
So on to the viewpoint overlooking the lake which held Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Coot, Avocet and a Little Egret. Use of the scope also found the distant Heron and then a Marsh Harrier flew across the back of the water mobbed by a couple of Lapwing.
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| Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta |
Rather than continue along the seawall I made my way back to take the walk alongside the river to the old barn. Lost of resting gulls, mainly Black-headed but also a few Herring and Lesser Black-backed, but mainly a mixture of Avocet and Shelduck until I found the score or more Black-tailed Godwits. A handful of Redshank seen along with a single Greenshank. A trio of Jackdaw were foraging on the grass along with a Magpies and in the nearby bushes a number of both Whitethroat and Blackcaps. But sight or sound of either the Lesser Whitethroat or Whinchat identified by "Merlin."
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| Whitethroat Sylvia communis |
Once at the old barn having come across a pair of Greenfinch and a cock Pheasant as I approached the gate, a few more Coot and a couple of Moorhen plus even a handful of Black-tailed Godwits. Reed Warblers were singing all around me. The onward clockwise walk to the seawall produced a Meadow Pipit. The nearby fields held many Starlings and once on the seawall I could get a better sight of the many Canada Geese and Lapwing along with a few Woodpigeon. A Kestrel flew past.
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| Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis |
Once at the Deeps no end of breeding and resting Black-headed Gulls along with a number of Shelduck and more Coots and Lapwing. However, the most surprising sight was to find a single Brent Goose as I arrived feeding near, but not necessarily associating with, a handful of Canada Geese. And in the bushes my first Linnet of the morning. Also seen a pair of Oystercatchers resting on one of the shingle islands.
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| Brent Goose Branta bernicla |
Continuing the clockwise walk I took the cut-off path and in the bushy area came across more Linnets. Once back on the seawall I came across a single Goldfinch and a Skylark up above. A Moorhen looked most handsome on the others ide of the canal and then a lovely, posing Whitethroat plus another pair of Linnets.
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| Linnet Carduelis cannabina |
Back at the lake from the viewpoint I finally found the visiting Curlew Sandpiper on the very far shore but not a decent photograph due mainly to the distance away from the camera. Out on the mudflats, not only a few Herring Gulls but also a very distant Whimbrel. Then, close to the Whimbrel, a resting Great Black-backed Gull. So back to the car but still no sign of either a Wheatear or Stonechat this morning.
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| Distant record shot of Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (right) |
Birds seen:
Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Pheasant, Little Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Curlew Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet.
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| Moorhen Gallinula chloropus |
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