Trip reports

Local outing report

Goldfinch on seed feeder

Wednesday, 3 September 2008

It was low tide when 15 members met at the wooden bridge into the reserve, but despite the dire weather warnings the sun shone, giving us excellent views of the waders on the stream. A first sighting, new to some, was of a couple of Ruffs feeding actively upstream, whilst a little further away a Greenshank rested among the many Redshanks. In view of the tide and the light, we decided to walk back along the road towards the village, stopping frequently to examine the many birds along the stream, which every so often were put up in great aerial formations by a passing Peregrine or Sparrowhawk. There were several hundred Lapwings, both concentrated along the water and spread out as far as the eye could see on the exposed sands. A sharp-eyed member found a Spotted Redshank feeding amongst the Common ones, its longer bill, different feeding habits and, in flight, lack of white wing bars being quite distinct. The most surprising sight was of a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the gable of a village house - unusual habitat!

During lunch in the sun we watched many Goldfinches feeding on the seed heads and flying up into the bushes and small trees, amongst them was one Linnet. As we were packing up two raptors appeared flying off in different directions, one a Kestrel, the other a Sparrowhawk. At Kilspindie we found the small flock of Tree Sparrows. On the sands was a small party of Knots, and a large number of Grey Plovers, ranging from winter grey to the resplendent black fronts of summer plumage. A five minute shower hit us as we turned, but it was dry when we reached the overflow car park. At this moment a juvenile Peregrine flew so close we could see the characteristic face markings and browner underparts. So this brought our raptor count to four as we had previously seen a distant Buzzard. The young Goosander (or was it a Red Breasted Merganser?) reappeared, something to look up in better larger books when we got home! Another good day, a variety of species and mainly in the sun.