A cold but sunny morning, I head to the patch via Pearson Park. There are a few nervous Redwings at Sculcoates Park. I'm at the river just one hour after high tide, but it is a very high tide. Seven Redshank are at their usual roost by Rix moorings. One flies to the groynes by Wilmington Bridge, looking impatient for the tide to ebb.
A Grey Wagtail flies across the river and a Pied Wagtail feeds amongst the young Herring Gulls on the river wall. I scan the wall for Dunlin, but no luck finding their roost.
Great Black-backed Gull.
Pied Wagtail.
A mountain of tyres is growing on the other bank. A Robin sits on one, lit by the low winter sun.
I come across several Bullfinches feeding by the drain, on birch and bramble and buddleia seeds, but I don't manage any decent shots.
A Great-spotted Woodpecker 'chipping' from the poplars by the drain. It's been a while since I've seen one at the patch.
A Grey Squirrel at the cemetery oak.
Walking back home I'm pleasantly surprised by a Siskin on an Italian Alder. I've been hearing them and seeing them fly over for a couple of weeks, but I finally manage a record shot.
An unexpected Grey Wagtail at Princes Avenue.
1 comment:
Fun to see the Pied Wagtail so confident of its lightning takeoff that it wanders between the Herring Gulls. We had a Pied Wagtail in London that hunted in the street among the moving cars. It was also absolutely calm around humans and you could feed it little bits of cheese.
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