Trip reports

RSPB Arne - 10 December 2006

Wednesday, 10 January 2007

I was about 15 minutes late arriving at the rendezvous and no one was there, so I set off towards the seaside hide hoping to find other club members. The first bird I saw (other than the usual suspects at the feeders) was quite a good one - a yellow-browed warbler. I didn't recognize the species but I had a good look at him from about four feet away and was able to make good notes which, combined with a search of websites, enabled me to pin him down.

The wooded area was quite quiet apart from a few wrens, but the view from the hide was good, and I was able to see large numbers of shelduck, oystercatcher, wigeon and curlew as well as a few brent geese, a pintail, a pair of red-breasted merganser and one red-throated diver in winter regalia. There was also a suspiciously large little egret which I watched for about 20 minutes before he finally removed his beak from under his wing and showed himself to be a spoonbill.

I then travelled across the heath area to the estuary hide where the waders were out in full force. In addition to 690 avocet there were lots of curlew, a few redshank, about 150 dunlin and 15 little egret. The last good bird showed himself just as the really foul weather arrived - a very large and aggressive gull with all-white wingtips that was harassing the curlews. Not being a gull expert I'm not absolutely sure but on checking my notes and references he appears to have been a glaucous gull.

I never did find the rest of the group but had a great day birding nonetheless. Arne is definitely on my list for another visit in the spring.

Anthony Kaduck