billed with paler plumage and very little black on belly. The only one I,ve had this
spring which I believe to be of the race..
C.a. 'arctica'. Ref Birds of Spurn, where this race are occasionally
seen during May.
Bright and breezy throughout the day at Fly Flatt with 60% cloud cover and some light showers on a SW>4.
A relief to see birds returning ,after yesterdays wipe out , with 10 Dunlin present, one new in bird showing the signs of ' arctica' with its sheer size alone along with the other distinguishing features. The side view of this bird had me checking twice for Curlew Sandpiper.
The single Ringed Plover was still present along with 7 Redshank and 6 Common Sandpiper so things were looking back to normal although a good scoping, both morning and afternoon ,failed to find anything special as yet.
A Short Eared Owl was giving regular but distant views throughout, even dropping onto the shoreline briefly at one point, but soon getting hurried away by Lapwings.
No big gulls present this morning so the Canadas and Greylags were out on the water with their goslings but had got them back into the fields by the afternoon watch when 11 Herrings and 12 Lesser Black Backed had appeared along with the unusual visit by 2 Black Headed and 1 Common gull.
BS