Friday 19 March 2010

May we have the bill please

The safari was out early as usual this morning and happened across a life or death race. A liitle male Sparrowhawk was hot on the heals of a Mistle Thrush. No breakfast for it today it gave up the chase - not surprised! The thrush was probably about the same size as it!
Nothing else really troubled the notebook certainly no Chiffchaffs yet.
Out on Patch 2 the tide was well out and the tideline a long way away. 65 Sanderlings picked away at the flotsam and jetsam at the watersedge. Today they easily outnumbered the 47 Oystercatchers. Very few gulls this morning. On the sea sat 14 Common Scoters and few others flying about in the hazy distance. Three flocks of Sanderlings with over a hundred in each passed southwards to unknown feeding places in the estuary round the corner.
Whilst watching them a small whirry winged solitary bird came towards us. A Razorbill (123,63) , first auk of the year, excellent.
Where to next? The weekend looms large so the possiblilities are endless...and there is still that Smew to successfully twitch.
In the meantime let us know what's likely to be twitched in your outback this weekend.
Sorry no pics today but you've probably still got Partridge overload anyway.

2 comments:

Warren Baker said...

well done with the 'auk' Dave. Things are not happening very fast at the moment, it's stop and start!

Monika said...

Razorbill, nice! I'm jealous. I'm hoping to add a few of the more unusual auks on a trip up north this May/June...