Because of M's accident and subsequent rehab, outings are currently limited to 09:30-12:30 maximum. Not really long enough for TH but a quick visit produced the best views yet of the Velvet Scoters with three flying in from the west and landing off the sailing club. A Red-throated Diver and three Eiders were about it. Two drake Pochards and Scarlet Elf Cup above.
The following day a circuit of Farlington pushed the time to the limit but added some new 5k square birds. The highlight was a fine bushy-tailed Red Fox snooping about just in front of me and causing the various Canada Geese to go all 'giraffe-necked' just in case!!
It eventually trotted off straight towards me sniffing the ground all the time until it finally sensed my presence and loped off disturbing four hen pheasants.
After a fourth COVID jab yesterday, a fifteen minute wait was spent in M&S over coffee and a toastie - and, with a couple of hours available, a visit to Farlington seemed the best option. A nice female Marsh Harrier was the best (and a 5k year tick) as were six
Gadwall. Forty or more Avocet were roosting on the lake and eventually departed en masse into the harbour only to decide twenty minutes later that the tide was still too high and so returned.
The reserve was busier than I've ever seen it; the sheer number of 'togs waiting for Beardies etc was nuts!! And the rest of the seawall was packed with families, dog walkers and joggers.
This ringed Brent Goose was one of PP's; hopefull registering on www.geese.org may provide some history. I've been hoping that the very local Brent flock might contain ringed birds but none so far.
