Wednesday 15 June 2011

100

I went out with SH and DMcK on Sunday morning to do WEBs. So far this year the WEBS counts at Castle Island haven’t been that interesting, but from now until November they should get better. Sundays count was proof of this.
As soon as we began scanning the river we could see a Spoonbill asleep (of course) on the edge of the island.
As we scanned the island further we found a Little Ringed Plover on the near shoreline.
Surprisingly the Spoonbill soon woke up and began wading and feeding through the river behind the island.
Amongst the regular wildfowl on the river was a Goldeneye and a 1st summer Med Gull was bathing amongst the BH Gulls near Stakeford Bridge.

On the way back we stopped at West Hartford and Arcot Pond. We soon moved on from WH as the main flash is completely dry and there is only a small amount of water left in the smaller flash.
Arcot has also dried out, exposing some good-looking muddy margins, which will hopefully attract some waders in the next few months. A Roe Deer and her fawn were drinking from the pond edge; this is the first fawn I have seen at Arcot.
Whilst watching the deer a Reed Warbler began singing from the NE reed bed.
This is the second year in a row I have heard a Reed Warbler call from this same spot.

Reed Warbler - 100

2 comments:

Johnnykinson said...

I sat watching 3 Spoonbills at Saltholme at the weekend and they were all AWAKE for the 45 minutes i observed them !!
Going back to your trip. Norfolk usually gets all the plaudits but i was down in the Dunwich area in Suffolk and it was fantastic.
Great reports.

Crammy Birder said...

Dispite visiting some of the best reserves the county has to offer during the trip, Westelton Heath was still my favourite place we went to. Completely different to anything in Northumberland.