And a Few Birds

Sanderling

Mediterranean Gull

I never tire of the walk from Radipole to Lodmoor at that time of day, with no people/traffic about, but by the looks of all the 'Fun Fair' construction work on the prom the silence would soon be shattered. At the end of Greenhill, the sea was covered by juvenile gulls of 3 species, Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed but try as I may, couldn't pick out a Yellow-legged. This is a skill yet to be mastered. On the 'moor' my first observation was that all the Terns had left, but judging by the number of young birds at my last visit I can only assume they did well. There was a single Sandwich Tern, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpipers 2 Little Egrets, 2 Ringed Plovers, a juvenile Common Buzzard and a dozen Dunlin so it was not totally without action. Best sight of the day was my soon to be travel companion Daragh Croxon, complete with new tripod (it's a private joke). Plenty to talk about here as the birds were temporarily forgotten, but soon time for the 'Bus Pass Birder' to head for Ferry Bridge. There, it was similar to yesterday with 104 Ringed Plovers, 137 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling and 3 Mediterranean Gulls. There was no sign of yesterdays juvenile, with one of the 'second summers' being 'ringed'. On the way home I visited Bowie (Lorne) & Sheila Edwards enjoying coffee and figs straight from the tree.