Saturday, March 01, 2008

Another windy day here with a WNW6 but it was bright and sunny and very clear.

Our morning walk around Seaton Point should have had more thought into it. Because I was on auto pilot, we walked the usual way around - anti-clockwise, when we should have really done it clockwise so as to have the sun at our backs and not in our faces. As a result I flushed a group of 7 Rock Pipits from the tideline and couldn't see anything other than twittering silhouettes disppearing out to sea.

Waders were a little bit more obliging with 13 Purple Sandpipers huddled together at the high tide mark. This was an excellent count for here and there was even a further 2 just around the corner making it a very nice 15 Purps.

Other waders gathered were 16 Grey Plovers, 8+ Bar tailed Godwits ( might have been up to 13 but I was blinded by the glare from the sea), 60+ Oystercatchers and 3 Ringed Plovers.

A lot of large gulls were gathered quite distantly offshore. They deserve further scrutiny...

Now that March is here spring will move on apace. Early migrants to look out for this month are Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Black Redstart ( all best after the third week), White winged Gulls should peak, Hooded Crows ( once regular now rare) should be on the move, Little ringed Plover ( not at Boulmer thats for sure), plus winter visitors on their 'march' homeward. What about rares? Anyone fancy a Killdeer on a coastal field ?

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