Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A day at Titchwell. 28.8.2011

Given it was the Bank Holiday I decided to forgo the potential traffic and crowds and simply spend the whole day at Titchwell. The woods near the Centre had a couple of Chiffchaff, both singing intermittently, and a male Blackcap seemed to be associated with a mixed flock of Blue and Long-tailed Tits, but otherwise it was fairly quiet.

The real bonanza was on the fresh-water marsh with waders and duck in profusion. Curlew sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin galore, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher all fed with determination, occasionally spooked by a returning female Marsh Harrier. Odd Herring Gull and many B,H,G loafed on one of the islands along with Mallard and Shoveler. As ever numbers of Grey lag Geese were present and restlessly moving around the site.

A long period seawatching produced very little other than a few Gannets, but I suspect conditions would have been much better a bit later on the rising tide. Mid afternoon the wind began to rise until a F5/6 blustery westerly was sweeping everywhere. Not the conditions to bring in drift migrants!!

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