Monday 4 May 2015

RTD

 

Red-throated Diver field sketch with colour added at home.

A summer-plumaged red-throated diver, that pitched down not too far offshore as I scanned from the beach huts early morning, was my bird of the day. I rarely get to see them in this plumage so it was a real treat. Otherwise it was quieter today, with the following species logged on the usual pre-breakfast circuit: 6 great crested grebe, 10 common scoter, 1 guillemot, 1 dunlin, 34 whimbrel in groups of 9, 22 and 3, 10 chiffchaff, 2 blackcap, 1 little egret, 14+ whitethroat, 11+ swallow, 5+ wheatear, 1 swift, 1 meadow pipit, 1 house martin and c20+ sandwich tern.
In the estuary, off Mudbank/Imperial, there were c80+ whimbrel, 1 bar-tailed godwit, 1 dunlin and 4 great crested grebe.


Little Egret - note the pale-looking bill as the sun catches it, and dark-looking feet - caution required!


Robin with splashes of purple from the green-winged orchids in the background. The orchids seem to be much later and far fewer this year.

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