Spoooonbill

Four spoonbill graced Druridge today - so I headed up for a look this afternoon after an early-shift at work. A little distant on the budge field, and amazingly they were awake for some of my visit.

Meanwhile at West Hartford this evening 2, then 4 ringed plover were joined by a single little-ringed plover ~ nice to catch one here in the Spring...

WH wader numbers decrease (a bit)

A brief visit to West Hartford this afternoon. Wader numbers were down since Tuesday, with only one oystercatcher and the immature little-ringed plover present. Gulls featured with black-headed, herring and lesser black backed. Oh, and no chats either...

WH wader numbers increase (a bit)

I spent an enjoyable hour at West Hartford this afternoon.

The immature little-ringed plover remains faithful to the largely muddy pool and today was joined by an impressive (by West Hartford standards) four dunlin. The little-ringed plover stuck with the dunlin as they fed on the muddy patches within the remaining water.

The photograph featured here is of an immature little-ringed plover taken at the Beehive Flash in July 2005, taken from the car - the West hartford bird is not so approachable!

The only other wader species today was lapwing, of which only two were present.

On the pool edge and surrounding fence posts five whinchat reappeared after a day missing (I had been at West Hartford on the 31st August too - there was so little to report on the blog that I didn't) with two stonechat. Stock dove continue to show while numbers of barn swallow and house martin are suddenly declining.

WHwhinchat

A call from Steve Holliday got me on to my first 2009 dunlin at West Hartford - it was keeping company with the LRP, now onto it's third day. More impressive was the presence of five whinchat - all feeding along pools' the western fence line along with two stonechat. This is the highest count of whinchat that I have had here in eight years - and the next couple of weeks is the optimum time for this species here. A bit of birdy chat at the car was interrupted by a fly over golden plover... autumn is most certainly on it's way.