More New Arrivals

A great few hours out today, showing plenty of new arrivals - just lacking the rare...

I was keen to get out first thing today as the previous day had seen a couple of notable records, both missed by me.  These were a Wryneck photographed on Seaton Marshes late afternoon, and far more grippingly, a juvenile Little Gull watched on the Estuary for over an hour earlier in the day which I just couldn't get to.  Not only have I not seen a Little Gull here for years, early autumn juvs are my absolute favourites.    

The only thing I did manage yesterday was a five minutes look at the sea, which revealed a large but distant lingering feeding flock of Gannets, Kittiwakes and shearwaters (all looked to be Balearic from what I could see) and a close first-winter Common Tern west.  A few hours later I saw two more terns, but these were adults and need to go into the commic camp, flying rapidly south down the Estuary.  

And now to today...

I got down to Black Hole whilst it was still gloomy this morning, and in with the big flock of Mallards that had clearly roosted on the lagoon were a single Gadwall and four Pintail, the latter my first of the autumn...

Pintail - looking so sleek compared to the manky Mallards!

 

Moulting drake Gadwall

 

On the wader front, a Knot was a new arrival, a fresh juvenile feeding with the Black-tailed Godwit, and the recent lone juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit had attracted a friend, with two now present.  29 Ringed Plover and 16 Dunlin were spread across the marsh, with two Greenshank and singles of Ruff and Wood Sandpiper also still present...

Knot - they always looks so plump!

 

Juvenile Ruff, a lingering bird

 

Sadly the Wood Sand remained distant

Spot the tundra Ringed Plover!  A very striking example - so much darker

 

On the Estuary a second Wood Sandpiper was clearly a new arrival, feeding on a muddy puddle with a Redshank (and later relocating to Black Hole Marsh).  And down the lower end of the valley, on Sheep's Marsh the cattle had attracted a flock of 11 Cattle Egrets. A decent count so early in the autumn, and it was good to see both adults and young birds in the flock...

Eight of the eleven

Whilst at work today, unbelievable I missed another juvenile Little Gull!  Long gone by the time I was free.  This one was on Black Hole Marsh, and confirmed on plumage to be a different bird to yesterdays - found by the same observer too! (Mike B)

A look around the valley and Estuary this evening showed a Green Sandpiper in addition to what I had seen in the morning. I also gave the sea a look, and although I couldn't find what I was looking for, the feeding flock of birds that have been out there for several days were a little closer - or the light was better so they just looked closer!  There were hundreds of Gannets present and probably just shy of 100 Kittiwakes, but most impressive were the 50+ Balearic Shearwaters flying back and forth.  I could even see them sat on the water at times.  Despite all my checking, I couldn't see any other shearwater species. 

Oh how I am enjoying these more unsettled conditions!