Wednesday 3 March 2010

Thirty Minutes Birding

I've been busy with 'stuff' most of today and so haven't beeen able to squeeze much birding in, this afternoon though I had a paltry half an hour to spare. I drove up to The Farm Gate viewpoint to have a look over Colyford Marsh and see if I could see the four Whooper Swans which Ian Waite had found there this morning.  It was siesta time on Colyford Marsh, resulting in some quality long distance photography.


Four Headless Whoopers
More headless fare, the Spoonbill was in exactly the same position as when I saw it here yesterday, I wonder if it does actually move?

I wish I'd had time to go down to Colyford Common for a closer look, perhaps they'll stay  until tomorrow? I hope so. At Coronation Corner I met Ian M who informed me that the Knot that's been knocking about on the estuary was showing really well on the nearside with some of the Black-tailed Godwit flock. A good photo opportunity that couldn't go to waste. Only Knot I know but it's an Axe Estuary scarcity don't you know? So all in all a nice  collection of birds in just thirty minutes.

3 comments:

catharine said...

Ahhh, a Knot. I saw it the other day with redshank and didn't know what it was - it's obviously looking for friends! I saw in the logbook at the hide that someone had logged a sanderling but I wonder if it was the Knot - do they look similar?

Karen Woolley said...

The 'Sanderling' in the logbook is in all probability this Knot. Although, having said that they don't really look too similar, a Sanderling is smaller,(the same size as a Dunlin)with much whiter underparts. It is also a rare visitor to the estuary. It would be unfair of me to say someone had definitely made an error without my seeing the bird in question, but that could very well be the case here.

PS. I may actually turn up at the ringing one of these days!;-)

Karen

catharine said...

Thanks! Yes, long time no see! I can't make the mist netting now that it's on a Monday - so I still won't see you :)

p.s. Martha was great in the panto!