The Four Hour Slot.

Eider. Pete Woodruff.

On my usual Monday four hour birding slot I counted 32 Eider off Plover Scar at Cockersands this afternoon and thought another group were coming in to land on the sea with them but they turned out to be c.30 Wigeon and the first sign of the winter ahead, I saw just one Whimbrel on the scar and at least 6 Wheatear along the headland. Just south of Crook Farm 3 Curlew Sandpiper juveniles were with a mix of c.100 Dunlin and Redshank in the order of c.30/70, also singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover were to note. Not a day for butterflies but a smart Red Admiral flew past me here.

Conder Pool to the casual visitor would have appeared 'dead' but some persistence including a walk down to the west end revealed a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret initially in hiding at the back of the pool alongside a Grey Heron but eventually close to the viewing platform picking off small fry like nobody's business, the site faithful 3 Wigeon, 4 Teal, and the continuing build up of 8 Little Grebe today, the maximum count in 2009 was twelve on 6 November after which they disappeared when the freeze set in, it will be interesting to see what happens this winter. On the circuit a male Ruff, 5 Greenshank, and 3 Snipe were in the creeks, and in the channel downstream from the railway bridge another juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was with c.50 Redshank and 10 Dunlin.

Take heart all ye mis-ID'ers - which includes me - a Greenish Warbler today was eventually identified by a  birder - who obviously knew better - as a Willow Warbler....so fear not!  

And finally....

 

Long-eared Owl. Paul Foster.

Another one of those stunning photographs I keep coming across, the Long-eared Owl complete with its unfortunate victim. A chance in a lifetime taken full advantage of by Paul whose website is  A Walk On The Wildside Thanks for this Paul it is brilliant.