Four More for The List

I returned to the estuary this morning to see if the Red-breasted Merganser that I dipped yesterday was still around. It was, I spotted it almost straight away and took a few shots of it in the gloom. Safely on the list now though. It's a real shame the weather was so grey and gloomy again today because while I was watching the Red-breasted Merganser all the birds on the estuary took flight.. I was being as dim as the weather because I never thought it could be an Osprey until one flew right past me, almost at eye level! What a lovely surprise! I lifted my camera and grabbed a few shots before - horror of horrors my card was full!! That'll teach me to erase the previous day's photos in future. I sent out a text to the local birders (and let Sue know when I spotted her parked along the estuary) but I think only Phil was about but by the time he turned up it had disappeared.  Happily it soon returned and the three of us were able to get a few more photos although it always stayed quite high. I tried to get Steve on it over the phone from the co-op but I don't think he'd have seen it without his bins. Phil told me that there were some Sand Martins showing really well and close up at Lower Bruckland Farm Ponds so that's where I went next (after a trip home to download my photos and format the card) but boy was it difficult to get a clear shot of one, I certainly needed all that space on the card! After this my last stop of the day was Black Hole Marsh where there were several Little Ringed Plovers. They were pretty distant but with the aid of digiscoping they've made it onto the list.

No.70 Red-breasted Merganser

No. 71 Osprey

No. 72 Little Ringed Plover

There are still oodles of Chiffchaffs around on patch - this one at Black Hole Marsh

No 73. Sand Martin
They did look cold, poor things but seemed to be finding insects on the surface of a sheltered corner of one of the ponds.