Black Hole Marsh Update

I have got a fair bit to blog about from the last few days, but instead of cramming it all in to one long post, I'll split it up into more digestible bite-size blogs, starting with wading birds...

Over the last week Black Hole Marsh has proved a constant source of entertainment.  Low water levels have ensured wading bird number have remained fairly good with a nice selection of species present. We are however struggling to pull in the headliner at the moment even though a nice peep or other species of American wading bird is surely overdue.  

The scarcer species have been well represented, with Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Ruff being present daily in varying numbers for over a week now.

All three of the aformentioned species are shown in this photo, plus a Dunlin

 

My highest count for those three species have been three, two and three respectively, however I know Curlew Sands have peaked at five and this morning there's four Little Stints present.  All have been juvenile/first-winter birds, which I presume suggests it's been a good breeding year for waders.  It's easy to forget that in some years some of these species don't turn up at all, so we must always appreciate them when they are around...

Lovely Little Stint - such great birds

Same Little Stint different view.  Can see the first-winter feathers coming through here

 

This Curlew Sand had a limp sadly, hopefully it isn't terminal

Singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot have been lingering for a while now too, and last Friday I was surprised to find a Spotted Redshank amongst the Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank flock just in front of Island Hide, along with five Greenshank.  

Lovely first-winter Spotted Redshank with such vibrant red-orange legs! Our and my third of the year.

 

We've had a couple more single Glossy Ibis since the flock of twelve dropped in on 23rd (as blogged about HERE), but whether it relates to one elusive lingering bird or different individuals briefly dropping in I don't know.   Also Phil found a Garganey last week that stayed a couple of evenings.  Never an easy bird on the Axe, but I have done well for autumn Garganey in recent years so didn't mind missing this one as much as I would usually have.  

Hopefully be another blog post in a couple of evenings time, so check back soon!  Will be all about vismig and a cracking fall of autumn migrants.