An ultimately frustrating day. Considered looking for the GWE at Petersfield but assumed it would have moved on so gave it a miss; seen by others mid-morning!! Day-deamed on the way to Pulborough about Rough-legged Buzzard this winter only to see one on goingbirding from Farlington about the time I drove by!!
At Pulborough decided to leave the camera in the car; first one, then two Kestrels posed well in brilliant light. Marsh Harrier nice but distant. Pretty much nothing else and certainly nothing close.
Off to what I assumed would be a quiet WWT for lunch to find a local inset day so full of people. A Kingfisher only heard a few times and seen briefly from the restaurant along with a Grey Wagtail on the concrete pond edge. The Snipe above, some of ten or more, were reasonably photogenic and absolutely point blank at one time being just below the hide but nearly always either in shade or strongly backlit. Ironically most noise and disturbance from other togs!!Note to self - take earplugs!!
Last visit's Med Gulls were all gone, bar one heard, and replaced by about 100 Common Gulls. This single scruffy Pintail dropped in and was followed soon after by a similarly dull Wigeon, but most other Shoveler and Teal were hiding from the cold wind tucked under waterside bushes.
A final cuppa looking out over the restaurant pond produced this Danish Black-headed Gull - details awaiting.
Pretty much no passerines here although with MD finding Hawfinches in Sherwood Rough hopefully a few may set up home around WWT over the winter.
Finally, rats, loads of them around feeders!
Update:- The gull was ringed as a 3cy+ in March of this year just north of Copenhagen and not reported prior to today.
