juv Peregrine
Kestrels, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier the other day.
Every now and then you get one of those amazing days, not often, but today was just one of those.
The conditions were good although a bit stronger wind would have been preferred to keep the flies down, otherwise it was 80 % cloud cover on a light NE>2 turning E>3 by late afternoon.
Early morn and quiet on the water and shoreline as I walked the west bank to the NW corner but below the banking near the feeding station several small passerines were ground hopping their way south, some on the fencing whilst others were further out on the moor.
Scoping the area I picked up, Reed Buntings, Stonechats, a single Whinchat with a Spotted Flycatcher nearby perched briefly on a Foxglove out on the moor. Coal Tits were rare for here along with a Wren feeding a juv. By the afternoon watch all had moved through.
Back in early August 2017 I had just the same thing happen, even down to the Spotted Fly when BV and myself watched a passerine group moving along Nab Water Lane and past Fly Flatts.
Late afternoon and the passerines gone I scoped the gulls quickly picking out a Yellow Legged Herring gull, probably the same bird as previously, as it stood on the edge of the water but as I got opposite it had moved into the water. Minutes after the whole lot lifted when a juv Peregrine came in to land on the east banking. Most of the gulls came back down but the YL must have moved on.
More action then as an adult Peregrine came in ending with both birds jostling and flying off with the adult in pursuit of the juv. I hope these Peregrines dont prove to be a problem as the waders start to come through.
Back at the south shore the Ringed Plover was in the pools area along with a Common Sandpiper and a Dunlin arrived in from the SE disappearing towards the east shore.
Quite a days birding leaving me with my head spinning trying to keep up. The plug is now out of the reservoir and the water level is slowly going down.
11 Reed Bunting
4 Coal Tit
1 Whinchat
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Wren feeding juv
1 Ringed Plover
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Dunlin
110 Lesser Black Backed gulls
5 Herring gulls
1 Yellow Legged Herring gull
1 intermedius LBB gull
4 Black Headed gull
3 Raven
Greylags...... 1pr + 1 juv, 1pr + 6 juv, 1pr + 5 juvs, 1 single adult, all young flying.
+ over 400 Canadas inc 40+ well grown goslings
BS