Wednesday 15 April 2015

Pale-bellied Brents


Sandwich Terns - Maer Rocks
 
The first pale-bellied brent geese of the spring were on the river today. A flock of 14, with a single dark-bellied bird, was distantly off the Imperial at about 5pm this afternoon. Also off there were 9 black-headed gulls, 6 red-breasted mergansers, 18+ sandwich terns and 6 whimbrel. A quick whiz around Orcombe produced 2 whitethroat, 3 wheatear, 1 whimbrel and, most unusually, a flock of c50+ curlew. The flock headed very high south-east and out to sea. They were very high up and I'd have never noticed them had they not been calling. I'm guessing they were heading to the low countries to breed.
 




Migrating curlew in a v-formation.


Whitethroat - a lousy record shot but all 4 birds I've seen so far this spring have been super skulky. This bird, like the others, delivered a quiet sub-song.
 

I went for a walk with the dog and the kids this evening, up on Woodbury Common. This weasle provided us with a lot of entertainment, hopping repeatedly out onto the track to look at us, apparently very curious!


Mallard ducklings - Woodbury Common.

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