Maiden Hall Lake and the Coast (again)

Had a run up the coast to Cresswell  but only checked the pool to the north because I wanted to get to Maiden Hall Lake area parked along the West Chevington road and had a short walk no signs of any raptors only 2 red Legged Partridge , further along the 2 Bewick's Swan (adult & Juvenile) in a field near the roadside I pulled over and there was such a crunch, getting out to investigate a manhole cover was missing and I had gone over the corner lucky I didn't go over the middle or that would have been the end of the day and my car . The Geese where as far over as it was possible to be along the east shore and beyond, I scanned through them still many White-fronts mostly keeping to themselves , Greylag and Pinkfeet but I could see no bean Geese , Two Pinkfeet  with neck collars oddly right next to each other way to far to read , a passing RAF jet put them on edge and every one dropped onto the lake for a bathe so I took some awful video just to give an idea of numbers . East Chevington was the next stop got there slowly as I checked every likely tree in the hope of Little Owl, rather blowy at Chevington picked out the Slavonian Grebe plenty of wildfowl but I wasn't in the mood to count them looking over the south Pool a Merlin came over and sat atop a small hawthorn before disappearing, another flock of Pinkfeet about a thousand just west of the south pool but no sign of any  SEO today nor any sign of the Whoopers at Ellington as I stopped there on the way home.

 A couple of very distant digi shots with the two Pinkfeet sporting neck collars

 These Bewick's  have been here for a week or so it seems an odd location hope they are both OK

A bit of dodgy video just to show the number of Geese around

Around the Ponds , looking for something Smew !!

A run up the coast last week starting at QE11 lake which was heaving with wildfowl , 10 Gooseanders (7 male) , and the redhead Smew was still around but more to the south end  good numbers of Goldeneye also around  I did not count everything it would have taken all morning. Next stop the east side of Ellington to have a look through the Whoopers (92) no sign of any Bewick but they where reported there later in  the afternoon , I did have a colour ringed Whooper which till now I forgot to send in . On towards Maiden Hall Lake 2 Buzzards low over the new plantation, still huge numbers of Geese on the and at one stage the surrounding grass ,Pinkfeet , White-fronts, Greylag and some Bean Geese where noted but not counted ,3 Kestrel and a SEO in the distance. East Chevington was the next stop with three SEO being of note one sat on the steel pole for awhile but the news of Jack Snipe showing at Cresswell had me heading that way as it was now getting late in the afternoon , Snipe noted but well hidden , I got a few digi shots before the light went, another 2 SEO also  here made  a good end to the day.

 Goosanders QE11 lake

 Smew also QE11

 Just a couple of lucky shots as it stretched

 PD4 amongst the Whoopers it has probably  already been recorded but I will still send it in.

 Short -Eared Owl East Chevington one of three

Jack Snipe Cresswell pond

Maiden Hall Lake and the Coast

A run up the coast at the weekend picked up a Peregrine sitting on the fence when I stopped to look for the Twite etc:, which I did not see  anything of ,watched the Peregrine for awhile as its nice to see one perched even if it was facing away but a couple of jets going over persuaded it to turn slightly it was still there when I moved on . Called around to this new site Maiden Hall Lake , indeed large numbers of geese around the White-Fronts started to separate and move out onto the grass  I counted about 254 with lots still on the water but  a helicopter over sent everything onto the water, they all drifted into the shore below the gate eventually every single one of about 2,000 birds (Greylag, Canada, Pinkfeet , Barnacle 20, White-fronts) was out of sight  and anyone stopping for a quick look would think there was nothing there, they did eventually drift back out and start to come back ashore , 2 Buzzards, and 3 kestrels in the area.   East Chevington the next stop the 2 Bewick's still around but at the time fast asleep, 4 Short -Eared Owls   two sitting on posts and 2 over the dunes  the 2 Bewick's took off and headed south.

Called in to Druridge Pools   on the off chance the Bewick's had dropped in plenty of Teal  and  Wigeon around and a pair of Pintail but no Bewick's .

Back along the coast towards Cresswell a SEO on the ground and another flying further along was the end to the day