Marsh Tick!

27th September - I've made a few brief visits this week pre and post work.  The juvenile Black Tern hung on for its 14th day until Tuesday 24th but was not seen after this.  It must be some sort of long staying record I would have thought.  The juvenile Ringed Plover which turned up on the 18th is still here - based on the breast band, this bird is different to the 2 which were here briefly on the 17th.  Poor record below

 

Wildfowl are building gradually, with 18 Shoveler noted yesterday, though just 3 Wigeon.  The odd Pintail may pass through soon, but none have been seen yet.

 

The past two evenings I have dropped in just before dusk and the gull roost is building, with getting on for 1,000 BHG, 100+ LBBG and 50+ Herring Gulls.  The single adult YL Gull has been seen on both nights and yesterday an adult GBBG was my first of the season.

 

This morning, apart from the Ringed Plover, not much to write home about.  I wondered around to the southern bank and back and noted a small passage of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, a single Reed Bunting flying over calling was also a probable migrant.  On my way back up the western bank by the base of the viewpoint, I suddenly heard a very vocal Marsh Tit moving around in the trees.  I managed to get it in my bins briefly before it moved off  northwards with a tit flock and was last heard near the cottages.  This is a patch tick, so well pleased and a bird not often seen here, though they can't be too far away - I certainly get them in my garden.

 

Last Tuesday, as I was leaving, a mother and 2 well grown young Roe Deer appeared on the base of the spit and started grazing, so I took a record of the mother.  Roe Deer are seen on and off throughout the year, including a Buck, but more often than not they are around in the morning and evenings when the light is poor, so it was nice to see them in the midday sunshine.