Criffel and the Solway after the Storm, 17th October.
15th October
A very warm misty morning with a rosy dawn. Small parties Barnacles could be seen and heard flying west most of the morning. Lots of Gulls out on the channel with a single Whooper on the tideline.
Small party of Barnacles flying west
16th October
Still warm with sunshine and intermittent rain showers. During the morning, the mudflats and saltmarsh were alive with waders and duck: 22 Wigeon,18 Shelduck , c 500 Lapwings, Oystercatchers and Curlew. Mid-afternoon, 10 Black-tailed Godwit were on the tideline. Reports from other birdwatchers of 60+ Shoveler, 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Grey Plover near the Viaduct. After lunch, saw about a dozen Wigeon and a Coot on the Meadow Pools down the Lonning. Red Admirals were nectaring in the sunshine, on Ivy flowers in the hedgerow.
Shelduck and Lapwing on mudflats
Black-tailed Godwit flying off the tideline.
In late Autumn, like today, these ivy flowers were producing nectar which was attracting the few Red Admiral butterflies who were still flying. Every time one passes this plant along the North Plain Lonning a haze of flies and other insects fly off, even on overcast days. These plants, which line the Lonning, produce black berries from the flowers later on, which are then often eaten by birds.
17th October
The day started off windy and as the tide came in late afternoon, it stepped up to gale force, with the rain coming sideways across the marsh. Apparently it was a cold front coming in - the temperature certainly dropped substantially! The evening cleared to give a dramatic vivid red and turbulent sunset. A long way out on the channel small skeins of geese could be seen fying west.
Dramatic sunset over West Common.
A skein of geese a long way out over the 'sands'.
Waders on sunlit estuary at dusk.
18th October
Cold and windy still, with frequent heavy showers. Flocks of Lapwing, Gulls and Dunlin with a few Oystercatcher, Godwit and Curlew, were flying about the estuary. When the sun shone the light was most dramatic.
Lapwing against a dark sky.
19th October
There was a cold biting wind from the west today - it was also a low tide series. Early morning a Gull feeding frenzy was taking place over the river. There were a few Curlew, Oystercatcher and grey waders about with good numbers of Lapwing - a small party of Wigeon came in with the tide.
20th October
A large flock of Barnacles, in the region of 2000, flew east along the saltmarsh.
Robin singing in the sunshine.
21st October
At 18.10 pm watched 8 Whoopers (3 adults and 5 Juveniles) come into land on the mudflats just this side (West) of the viaduct. They settled down near the edge of the marsh, as if they were intending to roost there for the night.
Whoopers had just landed on the mudflats
Whoopers settling down for the night?
22nd October
Small flock of Linnets could be seen on Hawthorns along marsh road at 11.25 am. Near the hide a flock of about 30 Redwing with a few Fieldfare flew off along the wetland hedgerow. On the 1st Meadow Pool, Wigeon, Mallard and a Coot were basking in the early afternoon sunshine. At 2.40pm a lone Whooper came calling all along the marsh before flying over the hamlet in the direction of the Reserve wetland. Later on at 17.00 pm, eight more were reported just west of the viaduct.
Mallard and Wigeon on Meadow Pools
Wigeon in sunshine
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Coot amongst the rushes.
Solitary Whooper - calling as it came.
23rd October
During the morning, as the tide went out, a flock of Dunlin flew in onto the wet mud. Good numbers of Oystercatcher, several Shelduck, Godwit and Curlew and two pairs of Shoveler were picking about the tideline too. A couple of skeins of Barnacles, of about 40 each, flew over the marsh going west at midday.
Other reports: from the Viaduct area of good numbers of Shoveler and a few Pintail; from Saltmarsh Pool, 100 Snipe and a Peregrine.
Barnacles going west.
Adult Grey Heron landing on the marsh.
24th October
Damp and misty early morning, with a strong southerly wind. A skein of Barnacles were flying east along the marsh. Watched Fox's confrontation with Corvids and Shelduck, as it tried to cross the outfall on the marsh near the hamlet (http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/campfieldmarsh/b/campfieldmarsh-blog/archive/2011/10/24/early-morning-confrontation-at-campfield-24th-october-2011.aspx).
Sun came out after lunch and Meadow Pipit seen on roadside hawthorn bushes. Mallard, Wigeon and Teal are now using the Meadow Pools on the Lonning. As we walked back a Heron could be seen in Saltmarsh dubs near the Lonning entrance.
Mallard and Wigeon enjoying the afternoon sunshine on Meadow Pools.