Little Grebe Hit The Heights.

Little Grebe Warren Baker

On Thursday Conder Pool came up with the highest number so far this autumn when I counted 17 Little Grebe, this count equals the same I made here on 29 October last year....18 needed now for an all time best count. A Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, 62 Redshank, 2 Snipe, a solitary Dunlin, and Little Egret were all in the creeks.

Linnets On The Wire. Pete Woodruff.

A chunk of my time at Cockersands was taken up getting to grips with a flock I initially picked up distant, but being a flighty bunch they came closer at times, though most of the time they were down in the long grass. But from the outset I had a good idea what I was looking at and eventually they were seen as a high count of at least 300 Linnet. But in flight with them, and on the ground whilst looking round the area, I found Meadow Pipit and Skylark, with 6 Tree Sparrow and 2 Reed Bunting, at one point I estimated in excess of 350 birds in the air together....something of a spectacle.

I wandered out on to Plover Scar to find c.400 Oystercatcher, with a number of Redshank, Curlew, and Dunlin. Thirteen Eider, 25 Wigeon, and 2 Great-crested Grebe were off Plover Scar, and off Crook Farm, c.350 Golden Plover, and 30 Turnstone were noted. True to tradition 3 Wheatear were around the abbey, and a Kestrel and 4 Little Egret seen.

Common Sandpiper at Conder Green.

I note a report of 3 Common Sandpiper on Conder Pool yesterday. 

Thanks to SP for allowing the excellent 1 October Cockersands Merlin to show in the new header on Birds2blog....I think I recognise the wall. Thanks also to WB for the equally excellent Little Grebe, and to PW for the 'not so excellent' Linnets....one from the 'dodgy' folder.