Prestwick Carr

Thought I'd better visit Prestwick Carr this afternoon, since PCF has had less numbers of visitors of late.
The Short-eared Owls were up from the start and provided a couple of half decent pic
opportunities

 Total number was difficult to set since they seemed to be appearing all over the area. I reckon at least six

Peter, Bill and myself were standing chatting  when this fellow below popped up not three feet way. Peter shared some of his multigrain bar.

Prestwick Carr

Heading North up the bridle path, I soon spotted four or five Buzzards perched on isolated bushes on the edge of the wood. This one had a smart light coloured bib.

On the other side of the path a Kestrel perched on a fencepost.

and there were good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwings. A couple of Song Thrush brightened the walk

I had been giving every hedge line bush a good thrashing with the bins as I walked up and down the bridle path, to ensure I didn't miss anything, but when I got back to the crossroads I could see PCF scanning the same hedge line and sure enough the Great Grey Shrike had been there all the time

As the light faded I managed to catch sight of two perched Short-eared Owls before heading home

Short and sweet

Its been a while since I was last out, so I was pleased to be able to catch the final  half  hour of today's sunshine at Prestwick Carr this afternoon.
Had a bit of luck when a Short-eared Owl perched on a tree top not far from a gate upon which I was leaning.

There were possibly five or six about before the sun went behind the cloud

Many Blackbirds were in the hedgerows including Fieldfare after a large flock flew over towards the wood

As I made my way back along the bumpy road I had a close but brief view of the Great Grey Shrike before it dived off its perch before disappearing in the reeds

Prestwick Carr trumps again

On wednesday evening PCF pointed out that there was a Great Grey Shrike on patch. Soon it was spotted in the distance and I managed to see a grey shape drop out of a bush and out of sight. At that time, it was so distant, I would have had difficulty identifying as a bird without having it pointed out first.
So this afternoon presented the first chance to have a search. First stop beside the gate on the top road did not produce anything and I could see the searchers on the bumpy road were not faring any better. I moved to the first gate on the way down to the cross roads and bingo there it was.

 Distant but clear views this time. Watched it for half an hour before it dropped out of sight

Fieldfare and Redwing

This afternoon I walked up the bridlepath at Prestwick Carr and was fortunate to see a large flock of Fieldfare, Redwing and Thrushes. I was unable to get within 150 yards of them as they kept ahead of me.
Two or three set down for a drink from the path pools

There were also many Kestrel and Buzzards whose numbers seem to be growing rapidly.

As a footnote one of our family members dropped in to see us today and said that they had been watching Snow Bunting at the top of the beach at Hauxley a couple of days ago.

Sanderling - colour ringed from Iceland

Yesterday's visit to St. Mary's Island produced a nice flock of around 40 Sanderling on the South beach waterline. I managed to spot that one of them was colour ringed and took a few photos of it.

Last night I sent the images and details off to Jeroen Reneerkens who is heavily involved in the Sanderling ringing and sightings reporting.
Within an hour he replied and attached  the full log of 66 sightings of this particular bird.
It was first ringed at Sandgeroi - first beach, Iceland during May 2009,
and since then it has shown a remarkable consistant loyalty to its summer and wintering  locations
Sept 2009 St. Mary's Island
May 2010 Sandgeroi- first beach
Sept 2010 St. Mary's Island
May 2011 Sandgeroi- first beach

August 2011 St. Mary's Island
I noted from the log that I had seen and reported  this same bird in Jan 2010

St. Mary's Brent

We took the opportunity this morning to go to St. Mary's Island just as the tide was dropping and just about clearing the walkway to the island. Lots of birds around including this Brent Goose which appeared to be all on its lonesome.

I understand that the lack of white neck patch, and the upper-wing coverts tipped with white, indicates that it is a juvenile