Snuck out again

The Safari was lucky enough to get out twice this morning. Our first venture forth was back to Patch 1 to see if the overnight rain had dropped anything new in. There wasn't, compared to yesterday it was very quiet with most of the Robins having shipped out - we only counted 12, less than 1/3 of what was there. Three Wrens sang and a Grey Wagtail flew over, that was about the size of it. On the way back to Base Camp we heard two Chiffchaffs calling near the Golden Triangle.

We didn't get time fro a cuppa before CR called round to take us out again. This time we had a more distant location in mind and one we don't go to very often. The high tide was at a good time for a visit to the wader roost at the northern end of the coast. 

Once there we bumped into LGB who hadn't seen a great lot earlier in the morning but warned us that there was a beach clean about to start...ohhh the timing!!! Still if waders are going to be disturbed its better for a good reason rather than just the usual dog walking!

LGB suggested we have a look from the top of the new tower which neither of us had visited yet. Before we climbed the stairs we had a quick look over the sea to see a large bull Grey Seal close in and a few Eiders further out but nothing much else. A handful of Meadow Pipits came in-off as did a couple of Pied Wagtails.

There was a Skylark singing from the adjacent golf course as we followed the Ranger up the stairs. As he open the door to the open viewing deck at the top a squished moth was found stuck to the edge of the door. But is it identifiable?

From the deck there is a fantastic view across the bay although it was pretty murky today. We saw a few more Meadow Pipits coming in-off and watched the beach cleaners disturb the Sanderlings we would have been photographing, CR spotted a few Ringed Plovers in with them as they flew round trying to find somewhere else to roost. The Grey Seal  had drifted away from us on the tide. Out to sea we saw a few more distant Eiders and three Common Scoters. 

Somewhat thwarted we headed to the marine lake to see if any of the disturbed waders had chosen to roost there but that was disturbed by a canoeing regatta - we weren't having much luck. Our next chose was the local nature area/dog walking park and as luck would have it was very quite hardly a dog walker in sight!

A look at the nearest pool was a shock though - not a bathing gull in sight almost all the water was smothered with the very invasive and almost impossible to get rid of New Zealand Stonecrop.

From the bridge/causeway we watched scrapping Coots and this pair of friendly Tufted Ducks although they became less friendly when they realised we didn't have any bread.

Scanning the rooftops in the nearby docks gave us plenty of Gulls but not the local Yellow Legged Gull. 

The third pool was where the gulls had turned to bathe and again we didn't see the Yellow Legged Gull there either but we did hear a blast of Cetti's Warbler song and a Little Grebe sailed into the corner reeds in front of us.

It was mild out and the wind had dropped enough for a couple of Small Whites to be seen fluttering about.

Time marched on and we couldn't explore the further reaches of the site.

It's good to be back to typing this rubbish two handed even if one of them is still a long way off being fully functional AND we didn't have too many problems using the camera...apart from not noticing it was on the wrong settings and the dozen or so Coot pics we took were all U/S :-(

Where to next? We might get another chance at the waders tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know who's cleaning up what in your outback