Spoony

I didn't get any birding in over the bank holiday weekend until Monday morning, when I decided to do an early visit before the kids got going.  Unfortunately, on arrival it was foggy.  I toyed with the idea of going somewhere else instead, but in the end waited the hour or so it took to burn off getting gradually better views of the birds that were present.

A Cuckoo was calling quite a bit from the SE corner whilst I waited and as the fog lifted, I saw it flying from the northern side back to the southern side and it promptly went quiet. A lone gull on the spit turned out to be a 2nd W/ 2nd S GBB Gull - I wonder if I'll see any more of these until next Winter?  Wader-wise, there weren't any of the hoped for scarcities, but a single Ringed Plover had joined the usual pair of LRP and a lone Common Sand was also present.  There were also at least 6 and possibly 8 Little Egrets present, whilst overhead 4 Swifts were seen.  I went home for breakfast! 

The day was brightened up when a summer plumaged Lesser Yellowlegs was discovered at College Lake, about half an hour north of me, just the second county record since a bird in 1977, so a tick for many.  So, mid afternoon, I took the kids on an excursion and we all now have Lesserlegs on our county lists.  A lovely summer plumaged Turnstone was also there - why these can't drop into Little Marlow I don't know!

This brings me to today, May 6th, the anniversary of the fly over Crane we had at the pit on a lovely sunny morning.  This morning had seen a band of rain move through the region, so I was ever hopeful that something might have dropped in, but once again, little new stuff was on offer.  A singing Sedge Warbler greeted me in the NW corner, whilst on the spit a single Oystercatcher soon became 2 and the usual pair of LRP again, but that was it.  I sat on the bench for a while surveying the scene and decided that I ought to walk around to check other areas.  Just past the viewpoint, I looked back towards spit and had slightly better light and a view of the back of the near spit.  I now saw a Common Sand and shortly afterwards 2 birds, as both flew from the spit towards the viewpoint.  They looked like they had landed here, so I turned back to get a closer look.  As I did, I noticed a white winged bird flying over the spit.  I expected it to be one of the Little Egrets, but when I put my bins on it, I could see that it was in fact a Spoonbill!  I couldn't believe it, a patch tick for me and possibly ever.  The records show a bird from Marlow in 1969, but whether that is this site or not I don't know.  I was thankful when the bird landed in the water on the far side of spit so that I could grab a record shot.  I also phoned Mick M, as I had seen his car in the car park so knew that he was on site - he was on the eastern side, with an obscured view of the spit!  I  duly sent the news to the grapevine and continued to watch the Spoonbill.  It was an adult in full breeding plumage and it took an immediate interest in the heronry on the island.  It flew into the trees and looked to be quite vocal, though I couldn't hear it.  It flew down to the lake and back into the trees many times during its hour long stay, but suddenly flew purposefully south just before 10 am.  I watched it clear the county boundary into Berks and over Cock Marsh it began to circle and gain height.  I did this for quite a while until it was very high and quite hard to keep track of and then I lost it, so wasn't sure in what direction it eventually left.  Whilst it was on the deck, Graham S and Mick M had joined me on the viewpoint.  Kevin D arrived whilst the bird was circling, but managed distant flight views through my scope.

A lovely bird for the anniversary of the Crane - I hope that May 6th next year is as kind.

On arrival

Checking the scene



Visiting the heronry

Back on deck

Back in the trees

Time to go