Saturday 25 March 2017

Marching on

March is always a tough month for listing with most of the "gettable" winter ticks in the bag you find yourself waiting for spring migration to kick things off again but with the cold winds coming from the north things have gone a little slow.

Ringed Plover at Landguard
A trip to Dunge on Friday delivered a few fresh ticks with a single Firecrest between the lighthouse and the Observtory, six fresh Wheatears on the shingle between the new lighthouse and the fishing boats, two Iceland Gulls on the patch and a couple of Sandwich Terns fishing just beyond the boil early morning. On New Diggins I picked up Black-necked Grebe with a Slav from Dennis's hide too.
Elmley on the way home gave good views of Marsh Harriers, Curlews and Lapwing but little else of note.

Curlew
Marsh Harrier at Elmley

This morning I headed up the A12 with the Jims stopping first at Landguard where it was quiet on the migrant front with a few Chiffchaffs and lot's of Linnets the exception. Six Ringed Plover entertained me before  we made it to the point. Lot's of Gulls and Gannets followed the massive cargo ships into the port but we had a surprise encounter when I picked out a Pomarine Skua steaming north.

Kestrel
Linnet 


We dipped out on the Iken Cattle Egret on our way up to Minsmere but managed to find a Bittern for the Jims from the Bittern Hide and had some terrific views of displaying Marsh Harriers from both Bittern and Island Mere. An Adder sat out for a while but eventually moved out of the wind and into cover.

Marsh Harrier from Island Mere at Minsmere
Ringed Plover


Year list now 177

Another one for a south easterly?

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