Little Egret in the snow - Mudbank.
The heavy snow didn't start until mid-morning so I was able to do Orcombe at first light. Nothing too out of the ordinary, and just a light covering of snow on the ground - 8 Goldcrest, 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting and 15+ Meadow Pipit were logged. A flock of 60+ Golden Plover, restlessly bombing around over the top fields were a sign of the heavy snow heading our way, as were 4+ Snipe. The two immature drake Eider were still off Maer Rocks.
Once the snow arrived we all went out with the dog and noted a few bits and pieces. The oddest sighting was a beautiful male Wheatear at Mudbank. It took off over Warren View as I struggled to get the camera out of its bag, with gloved hands. A male Stonechat and a Siskin were the only other minor oddities.
Numbers of Fieldfare, Redwing, Meadow Pipit, Golden Plover and a single Snipe were more expected, though the majority of birds were flyovers. I haven't noticed birds ditching down on the estuary so far today. Hopefully this latest bout of cold weather will be over quickly enough to avoid the number of casualties that we saw a couple weeks ago. No Lapwing today either, and the snow's still coming down as I write this at 1655.
Numbers of Fieldfare, Redwing, Meadow Pipit, Golden Plover and a single Snipe were more expected, though the majority of birds were flyovers. I haven't noticed birds ditching down on the estuary so far today. Hopefully this latest bout of cold weather will be over quickly enough to avoid the number of casualties that we saw a couple weeks ago. No Lapwing today either, and the snow's still coming down as I write this at 1655.
Orcombe this morning - looking back towards the Warren. This was before the heavy snow arrived.
Sixty plus Golden Plover - Orcombe Point - an early indicator of today's heavy snowfall.
The cycle path at Lower Halsdon Farm, late morning, in near 'white-out' conditions.
Redwing - Mudbank
Stonechat feeding in the brook, at Mudbank.
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