Friday 30 October 2009

A Good Raptor Day

Today I went to Druridge Pools, Cresswell and St. Mary’s. Cresswell didn’t produce much except 20 redshank and some snipe. There were a few Canada geese on the pond but not much else. We left the hide only to be greeted by a female kestrel hovering outside but it flew off as soon as we got there but only as far as a tree near the car so we crept up and got some photos before it flew off once again. Then we headed up to Druridge. When we arrived in the Oddie Hide, there was very little to see except 2 greenshank. We stayed for 15 minutes with nothing showing so we were just leaving when a female merlin flew across the pond and through the trees. We ran out and into the other hide next to the Oddie hide and scanned the posts on the far side and eventually, we found it sitting on a post quite far away but still a brilliant sighting. A first for the year! St. Mary’s produced 300+ golden plover, 2 purple sandpiper and a woodcock which we flushed from the rocks accidently but none the less it is a life tick!! A good end to a good day!!
Kestrel Merlin
Sanderling
Golden Plover

1 comment:

  1. Congrats with the Woodcock Jack, its great to see them coming in off the sea at this time of year.

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