Birding Essex, Suffolk & Norfolk with DDL

   On my most recent return trip from Paris I spent the afternoon and following morning birding with DDL around London and East Anglia. There were a few interesting species on offer for us to look for, and the weather was not too unpleasant so we had a very enjoyable session visiting a few sites.

  We started near the village of St Osyth in Essex, where there had been a group of four Dotterel in a field between the village and Colne Point. They did not take us too long to track down, as they are quite conspicuous in the open habitat. Still they were distant and we had some issues with heat haze in the late morning. Fortunately in the hour we spent there the birds decided to walk closer towards us and in the end we had truly excellent views. We decided that there were two males and to females, although the bird news services instead reported only one female. This is only the third time I have seen this very attractive species and the first time I have seen multiple individuals.

  Next we decided to continue up the East Anglia coast to Suffolk, where at least one Purple Heron had been utilising one of the reedbeds at North Warren RSPB. It took us a while to work out exactly where we needed to watch from, but we eventually worked it out. As we arrived a photographer/birder was present, who said that he had been present since 06:00 and had not seen the bird until 12:30. Given how elusive Purple Herons are known to be, I suspected that we might be in for a long afternoon. Fortunately that was not the case, as the bird came out of the reeds and looped around after less than hour and in the mean time we were entertained by six Hobbys. Sadly the heron did not stay airborne for long, dropping back in after only around 15 seconds. Still, Purple Heron is a British tick for me!

  Whilst we were waiting for the heron, news broke of the nomadic Booted Eagle being seen an hour away on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in an area we planned to visit anyway due to good numbers of Red-footed Falcons in the area. We headed up but despite spending the rest of the day there we had no joy tracking down the eagle, which had probably moved on by the time we reached the site anyway. Because we spent most of our time chasing dubious eagle sightings, we did not track down any Red-footed Falcons.

  The following morning we birded an area of Ancient Woodland on the outskirts of London. While there was nothing rare of the calibre of the previous day, we enjoyed some nice Garden Warblers and a family party of Treecreepers that were energetically feeding all around us. After this I headed back into central London on my way back north to Yorkshire. 

-Eurasian Dotterel

-Purple Heron

-Garden Warbler

Species List:
St Osyth: Common Shelduck, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Dotterel, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Whimbrel, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, European Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Western Yellow Wagtail, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,
RSPB North Warren: Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Egret, Purple Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, Eurasian Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch,
Burgh St Peter: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Redshank, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Jay, Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch,
Cely Woods: Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Eurasian Coot, European Herring Gull, Great Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, European Green Woodpecker, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Eurasian Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, 

Cromwell Bottom, Whiteholme Reservoir & Hardcastle Craggs

A day without work and fog on the tops meant an opportunity to cruise around a few different sites around Halifax picking up different birds that I normally don't see on Soil Hill. In total I clocked 75 different species from my travels today, which is pretty good, and had I tried harder it could easily have been more. 

Cromwell Bottom

  A warbler fest this morning with singles of Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler singing, plus seven Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler.

  Over the Ski lake there were my first Swift of the year, with two blogging high up. Additionally, there were good numbers of Hirundines present. 

  Perhaps the biggest surprise was a female Brambling that flew past calling, giving excellent views of the birds white rump.

-Garden Warbler

Whiteholme Reservoir

   A late morning visit to the reservoir, in the hope of finding a Dunlin or Ringed Plover, but the only wading birds present were two Common Sandpiper. 

  Whilst watching I heard the distinctive three-note call of a Greenshank over the moor towards Warland. Despite scanning desperately I could not pick the bird up. It called around 6/7 times in total, eventually getting fainter as it appeared to move north. I tried to record the sound using the Merlin App and despite the windy conditions, you can make out the sound of the bird on a few occasions. 

  Additionally, the sites Grasshopper Warbler has returned and was reeling from the tree below the dam wall. 

-Grasshopper Warbler

Hardcastle Craggs

A very pleasant afternoon in the Craggs for a couple of hours produced seven Pied Flycatchers; six males and a single female. Otherwise just common woodland species.

-Pied Flycatcher

Soil Hill & Whiteholme; Week 10th - 16th May

Soil Hill
Soil Hill was fairly quiet and uneventful this week, with very few new migrants arriving and no notable passage species. The resident breeding birds continued strongly, so that there was always plenty of activity even if there was little change in the species composition. Wheatears peaked at 7 on the 11th and that was the migrant highlight of the week, with the only other notables being a female Blackcap on the 11th and a brief Sedge Warbler on the 10th. The Tufted Duck pair remained in residence on and off throughout the week on the NK pond. Passage birds were limited to a scattering of Siskin, a single Lesser Redpoll on the 10th and a Grey Wagtail on the 11th.

Oats Royd
I also made a breif visit to Oats Royd on the 12th to look for a Garden Warbler that had been present for a few days. Once I was in the right location it was easy to hear the bird but more tricky to actually see it. However it showed on occasions, and I was able to get a few pictures as well as listen in detail to its song. This is a Calderdale tick for me, hence the visit. 

-Garden Warbler

Whiteholme Reservoir

Where Soil Hill was quiet, Whiteholme continued to be lively with notable sightings on nearly every visit. The Dunlin and Ringed Plover contingent continued to be in reasonable numbers, although the former dropped off towards the end of the week. The excitment of the week started on the 10th when a Whimbrel arrived late afternoon and promptly fell asleep on the reservoirs center structure. The following day it had moved on, and the shoreline was quiet overall. However a very smart male White Wagtail in the NW corner of the reservoir livened up proceedings, this being the first time I have found a male of this race in Calderdale. Following on the 13th was again lively with a Marsh Harrier U-turning over Blackstone Edge, but frustratingly looking into the early morning sun. The Pink-footed Goose that had been present on Sunday also reappeared, but just flying over on this occasion, calling loudly as it did so. Rounding off the day was a smart pair of teal that were in the ditch along Blackstone Edge. On the 14th there was limited activity until the end of my visit when I flushed a Twite from the footpath adjacent to the car park. It was colour ringed but frustratingly flighty and so I was unable to observe the full combination. The week then rounded off with a Cuckoo along the barbed wire fence in the SW corner of the reservoir, and a flyby Mute Swan on the 16th. Another exceptional week for this site and I can't wait to see what next week brings. 

-Cuckoo

-Marsh Harrier

-White Wagtail

-Whimbrel

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Eurasian Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Oats Royd: Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin,

Whiteholme Reservoir: Pink-footed Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Red Grouse, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Northern Wheatear, White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet, Twite,

Paxton Pits NR

Having got back from Wembley late yesterday evening today, I had a late start today. The suited a trip down to Cambridgeshire for the Great Reed Warbler nicely, as it showed best in the evening. With nothing else to twitch on the cards I decided to make my move over that way, arriving on site at around 13.30.

I was very impressed with the reserve. Once on site I was surrounded by migrants singing, all properly going for it and blasting out their calls. Of course the real songsters were the Nightingales that this reserve is famous for, but I only saw one of about ten that I heard. That being said, I did not really stop and look hard for them, desperate to make my way to where the Great Reed Warbler was singing from.

I did stop though when I heard a Garden Warbler singing from behind me. This is one of the most difficult species for me to ever get on my yearlist for some reason. I heard the call but it took a moment to click that actually that probably wasn't a Blackcap but a Garden Warbler. Typically it was elusive but I did get nice views through the bins before it flew into a bramble patch. Thats a real yearlisting weight off my shoulders.

There were so many other birds around, including a handful of Hobby, Cuckoo, Common Tern and then my first Dragonflies and Damselflies of the year. The dragonflies looked like hairy dragonflies but they did not land so I could not say for certain. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the reserve, so much so a part of me wished I had set off earlier to I could have had more time to look around.

As it turns out I did have time to look around, but that I spent it at the reedbed where the Great Reed Warbler was supposed to be. Four and a half hours in fact was the time that I waited for the bird to show itself. All the while it spluttered elements of its call out from the base of the reeds. After about two and a half hours wait it did eventually start to sing properly, followed by almost continual singing. The main problem was that it was quite breezy and the moving reeds would have made the bird disinclined to sit up. Also the positioning of us, in a small window surrounded by trees made it very difficult to judge where the bird was actually singing from.

Time passed and my optimism for seeing the bird began to drop, knowing that it probably would not be coming out in the wind. Then, as I was browsing through the reeds, by some miracle, I got it, sat up among the reeds. It was not at the top but was in the open. I gave the other birders the directions for it, and then began to try and get some photos. It was quite distant but the view through the scope was fantastic. You were able to watch it sing, and observe the mouth movements for each individual call element. It was really something to watch.

I must say though that I was really quite underwhelmed by the birds size, I had imagined something more like a starling or thrush, but (Possibly because it was sat on its own, all other Reed Warblers had hunkered down) it just did not seem that big. But the call was fantastic and it was awesome to be able to watch it out in the open at last. However it only sat up for around 10 minuets before it dropped down again. Given how long I had already waited I did not fancy waiting any longer.

-Great Reed Warbler

After so long it was an incredible relief to have finally seen it. And it was worth the wait, only problem was the new digiscoping method I had trailed on it, which seemed to have worked in the field was badly overexposed when I returned home. Possibly due to it being early evening (18.50ish) so the light had all but failed for photography. Still, I managed to get a few record shots which I am pleased with, to some degree...

Species List:

Paxton Pits NR: Chaffinch, Robin, Mute Swan, Coot, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Greylag Goose, Garden Warbler, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Hobby, Jackdaw, Cuckoo, Common Tern, Nightingale, Tufted Duck, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Common Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Kingfisher, Blackbird, Moorhen, Willow Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Yellowhammer, Herring Gull, 

Spurn Day 40 - LIFER ALERT

I was unsure whether the 4.00 start was still required but decided to head up at that time anyway just in case. It was not but since I failed to get any on duty kip it gave me the chance to get a full days birding in, and what a day’s birding it turned out to be.

I started the morning trying to count the Black-Headed Gulls moving north, but there were just too many and their movements were very confusing, so after a bit I gave up on that and started to watch the waders that were about. I counted 2 Turnstone, 7 Redshank, a few Knot and a few Dunlin, as well as 1 Black-Tailed Godwit. There were also a few of the latter moving out to sea, with a couple of flocks going south, 1 of around 7 birds, the other of around 15.

The first of the day’s highlights appeared at 08.20. Mick Cunningham had told me I had missed a year-tick when he had been up and been watching the ponds. He had recorded a female pintail among the mallards, but since then I have been on nights and I had been unable to find it at any point. The group of 5 Mallards had been around all morning but their numbers swelled at around 8.00 and from the distance I thought I noticed one that could have possibly been the bird. I upped sticks and moved round Long Bank in order to get a better view. The closer I came the more convinced I became that I had indeed found one of my years tart ticks. And sure enough, just as I was getting to the best view the inevitable happened; the birds flew. I grabbed the camera hoping to catch some helpful secondaries. Luckily the birds settled again on Kilnsea Wetlands on the other side of the bank. My last doubts were laid to rest here, and I gratefully added a lovely female Pintail to my year list. It was a great sighting and I got some decent views before the ducks flew off again, this time for good though. I managed some decent shots too, given the distance the light.

-Pintail

I headed back to the hut, very satisfied with my days work. Not long after I returned a female Wheatear fluttered in front of the hut, and I tracked it down on the beach. Though it did not give exceptional views it was still a delight to see, one of my favourite birds. 

Not long after that and another lovely bird showed itself on the poolside. It was a Ruff, but only one and it was the only one I saw today. I tried to grab some record shots for Spurn but it was too far off and I was unable to get any of note.

-Ruff

During my nightshifts there had been one record that I had been seriously gripped by, but I asked Paul and he said it was likely to be a one off. But at 9.30 said bird, or one of its species, made an appearance along the ponds. Purple Sandpiper! It’s the first time I can report seeing one since I set up my blog 7 years ago, and since my prior views were absolutely impeccable it’s been too long. Sadly this time the views were less than impeccable. I followed it from the hut for about 10mins before mounting long bank and heading round to see if I could do any better from there. I had hoped it would do what the curlew sand had done, but alas it did not, and the views remained too distant for the camera, though through the scope I got really good views. It took up with 2 Dunlin and 2 Turnstone and they slowly made their way round, but they did not make it close enough for me to get any really good shots. 

-Purple Sandpiper

I have waited so long to see another of this species but alas the view was too short and by 10.00 the bird had decided to move on. It could be some time before I see another, so that was much appreciated. After the bird had left and I was left in a post-purp mode, I had a look around to see what else was around. There was a pair of Roe Deer in the field behind the bank, they stood out a mile now the field had been cut. I grabbed some shots just because they looked so striking. The pair of Turnstone had also remained put and they too were striking, only more so than the deer.

-Roe Deer

-Turnstone

I stuck around for the wader roost given that it was the kind of day where I might muster some other yearticks. Alas that the wader roost was very quiet, with 2 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 1 Curlew and 25 Grey Plover. Impressive but sadly lacking in numbers! As a result I headed back to lunch later than usual. I picked up a few willow warblers chilling along Beacon Lane, and a lovely Yellow Wagtail.

My lunch break was short as there were birders sleeping all around the warren, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As I was heading back up Beacon Lane I continued to see Willow Warbler and Whitethroat, and then I spotted another warbler chilling on the edge of a bush. I raised my bins and got a good view of it. My first thoughts were ‘that’s a funny coloured willow warbler’, but then it did the decent thing and turned revealing the only feature on Britain’s most featureless bird, a grey collar. I’m not sure it was excitement, or relief but I had finally added Garden Warbler to my yearlist. You forget this is only the second time I have ever seen one, and that the last one was found through a photograph and not really seen at all. But in my excitement the bird decided to do the indecent thing and dived into the bush and was replaced by a Whitethroat. It took some time before I re-located it and it put on a show, but in the end it did put on as much of a show as Garden Warblers do and I was able to enjoy it and grab some photos, an improvement on my last efforts that’s for certain. Given that I was so convinced I would miss one this year, this is possibly the species with the most relief attached to it on my yearlist. To say it’s so bland it does have something about it, and I am quite taken to Garden Warblers, despite their sneaky ways.

-Garden Warbler

The afternoon was very quiet just like I expected and seems to be the norm. I did pick up a Spurn tick in the form of Wren, but it was a fleeting glimpse.

And so the shift ended, with 3 year-ticks, not something I had predicted. What could make it better? A Lifer? Cue Seawatching! Given the calibre of the night before tonight’s total of Common Terns was quite low, but still impressive, 2480 went by. We had a whopping 44 Fulmars though which was pretty nice, and 8 Arctic Skua and 41 Manx Shearwaters. Besides Common Terns, numbers of all other seabirds seemed to be on the up, which was more than ample compensation.

But what about the lifer! In all honesty it was nothing compared to the days year-ticks but it’s still a lifer. It was Sooty Shearwater, but when I saw it I was surprised by how little shearwater behaviour it expressed. If I had seen it on my own I would have it down as a skua of some description. It moved rather fast, but when its identification was explained by the guys I could see why it was a Sooty, and perhaps the fact that my scope is lacking meant I could not pick out many key features too, not that I’m blaming my tools. It was nice to have another seabird added to my life list, but I think a better view may be in order, so I don’t have to take other birders words for it. But its still a lifer, and a nice one to have, a real seawatch speciality. Sadly It was too far out to get any photos, that record lasted up to the 22nd lifer this, a photo of them all and then the 23rd and it all falls apart. Never mind, it was still great to see.

And that was that, not night shift so I could enjoy the evening relaxing and get a decent kip. I have been informed that my last chicks are flying, which I had not seen but Paul tried to ring it and it flew away apparently, so as of now the operation is over and the decontamination of the fence will commence tomorrow. I guess this is the beginning of the end for my time at Spurn. If the last chicks fledge fully we will have fledged 60 young this year, a record year!

Species List:

Beacon Ponds: Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Kestrel, Black-Headed Gull, Sparrowhawk, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Knot, Black-Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, Dunlin, Sandwich Tern, Feral Pigeon, Curlew, Mallard, Yellow Wagtail, Gannet, Common Gull, Swallow, Mediterranean Gull, Woodpigeon, Little Tern, Fulmar, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Arctic Skua, Mute Swan, Pintail, Little Egret, Ringed Plover, Ruff, Wheatear, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Purple Sandpiper, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, House Martin, Grey Plover, Greenshank, Linnet, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Starling, Dunnock, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Willow Warbler, House Sparrow, Wren, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Goldfinch, Reed Warbler, Herring Gull, Avocet, Sand Martin,

Seawatching: Arctic Skua, Common Tern, Oystercatcher, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Great Skua, Gannet, Common Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Sooty Shearwater, Swallow, Common Scoter, Sandwich Tern, Little Gull, Black-Headed Gull,

Lakeland day 4

My dad decided that today, seeing as though it was boiling hot again, we would walk down to the reservoir and then go on the boat again, for the last time this holiday. The only issue was that there was now a serious haze building up to spoil the views. I caught a newspaper headling-"killer smog hits britiain", but I seriously doubt that this is killere smog, just some heat haze.

-Heat Haze
In the toilets there was anoth stunning moth that I had to remove to try and get a photo. I think its a carpet moth, but thats as far as my identification can go!

-Carpet moth
The walk was a good one, going from woodland to farmland, to woodland and then to the lake. On the way there I spotted an orange tip butterfly and an oystercatcher. In the second section of wood there was a split in the path, I went one way and my family went the other. My path went up to a large mound of rock, perhaps a roche moutonee! (Thats a glacial landform) but it gave great views of the surrounding countryside. When I left the hill ,I found another path that would take me around the the mound, across the road and into the woods next to the lake. I walked round to the boat facility, but my mum and dad were not there yet so I wandered around the back of the cafe in the scrubby woodland there. Good thing I did too, I got another new bird! It's one I have wanted to see for so long! everywhere you go they apparently live there, they live locally at Elland Gravel Pits But They have eluded me for so long. Yes Its the elusive garden warbler.

-Garden Warbler

The only issue was that it only stuck around for a few minuets! And then trying to track it down was an absolute nightmare. The call would normally be a good thing, but to the untrained ear (mine) it sounds just like a blackcap, which were absolutely everywhere in this wood. I must have followed about 10 calls all of them being blackcaps.

-Blackcap (male and female)

I caught up with my family for lunch and we then decided to go on the boats, our original intention. The row started as usual with the mallards and canada geese. But near the reedbeds there was a smaller grey goose associating with the graylags, and after photo analysis it became clear that it was a white-fronted goose. This bird I have only seen in Norfolk, in a huge flock. The fact that there was only one was making me doubtful as to weather it was genuine. It flew off quite well though, which infuriated me, because my photos were not great. I didn't see where it landed but I was hoping we would encounter it again.

-White fronted goose
there were lots of barnacle geese flying overhead which just highlights the blue sky and the lack of clouds. The geese look stunning against the blue backdrop.

-Barnacle geese
Near the island there were mergansers swimming about and also a female perched up high on a rock, which is not a usual view, as they are often swimming rather than perched.

-red breasted merganser
A bit further round there were some barnacle geese roosted, which suggests that they were happier on this new island, probably because of the lack of interference with their lives.

-Barnacle geese
On the return trip I spotted That there were a number of geese rested on the grassy back of the lakeshore and I wondered if the white-fronted goose might be there. I asked if I could have a look and my parents said I could and that they would pick me up after they had been shopping. When we landed I set off immediately and in good spirits, due to the potential of seeing a rare bird. On the way there I got a great view of a willow warbler resting above my head, which offered me potential to get some more willow warbler photos-willow warbler being a bird that you have never taken enough photos off!

-willow warbler
I made it to the Field where the birds were. They were still there, but to reach them I had to cross a sedge filled swamp-not nice. Luckily it was worth it because The white-fronted goose was amongst the graylag geese. It was roosted but I disturbed it and I immediately wandered if it was going to fly off. Luckily not, it just walked away, so I gave it a wide birth and tired to get closer from a different angle. I managed to get some decent shots, and these also prove that the bird had no ring on its leg, so i am now pretty sure that it is a wild bird.

-White fronted goose
There were also a few other birds there, notable the barnacle geese, probably grazing on the grass that they cant find on their wooded island. I cant imagine that they would be breeding but they sure look like they are.

-Barnacle geese
Having had my other memory card broken, I was having a bit of a problem with photo shortage so I was reluctant to take photos of things I didn't need. Luckily the white-fronted goose was very camera friendly, staying in the open and not flying away (but walking away!)

-White-fronted goose
It was kind of special to see all the different kinds of geese all in one place, there were also canadas there too which I had not mentioned. The star no doubt the white-fronted. I decided to leave as I could see that the geese were getting nervous, and so to avoid disturbing them.

-Barnacle geese, graylag geese (behind)
back at the boat depo there was a family of ducks with four ducklings, which are the first I have seen this year and therefore is quite special to me. It was a bit nerve racking because the males were still trying to mate with the female and the ducklings were ending up all over the place, but when I left there were still four so that's good.

-Mallard duckling

This has to bee the best day of the holiday, its sad that it has to be the last full day, but even so, There is still tomorrow to look forward to!