Osprey

 

In the absence of an Osprey photo here's a 'silvery' Pheasant on Orcombe Point. There are very few Pheasants on Orcombe but I bump into them from time to time.

 

Thanks to a text from Lee I was able to watch an Osprey, fishing just north of Mudbank this morning. I watched it from the back garden for a good 20 minutes, during which time it made several spectacular attempts to catch a fish. I never actually saw it catch one though. Perhaps it had something to do with the constant attention it was receiving from gulls and angry Oystercatchers! This evening, off the Imperial, there were at least 52 Sandwich Tern and 2 'Commic' Terns. They were almost certainly the 2 Common Terns that Kev had seen off the Warren earlier though I have to admit my initial reaction was that they were 'Arctics'. On the deck they looked short-billed and very short-legged. They looked less convincing in flight however, so best left as 'Commics'. I always struggle with terns at this time of year. Come to think of it , I struggle with terns at all times of year!

Also off the Imperial this evening - 40 Shelduck, 6 Dark-bellied Brent Goose and my first Whimbrel of the spring.

Orcombe was disappointing this morning. Conditions felt good but I managed just 13+ Chiffchaff, c15+ Meadow Pipit, 2+ Willow Warbler and c20+ Linnet. Offshore there was a flock of 14 Common Scoter and 20 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were on Maer Rocks.