Number one pool at Inner Marsh Farm was packing them in this afternoon with a huge flock of Pintail and good numbers of waders all vying for space.
Amongst the ranks of drake Pintail today was at least three birds sporting extremely rufous-coloured breast feathers as oppose to the typical standard white issue. It’s probably just a natural variation in plumage, but I suppose the diet of the birds could also influence feather colouration too.
No sign of the resident Bittern – again – but the appearance of another star visitor in the shape of a Spoonbill was good compensation. These stately visitors normally use IMF to roost, but today was the exception that proves the rule as the bird fed non stop right up to the point I left!
Two different Hen Harriers flew through today, one and adult female bird and the other much smaller ringtail perhaps a 1st winter male. The adult female bird was sporting a blindingly white rump having presumably just acquired a new set of tail feathers – if you are oot and aboot on the estuary over the next few days it is worth keeping an eye out for this bird as its dazzling daz-white tail is very distinctive.
In a completely unrelated topic, I was reading an article today on how negative and fearful news broadcasting has become. It reminded me of a line from one of my heroes, the late comedian Bill Hicks, whom lamented the absence of any positive drugs stories on any of the networks.
Amongst the ranks of drake Pintail today was at least three birds sporting extremely rufous-coloured breast feathers as oppose to the typical standard white issue. It’s probably just a natural variation in plumage, but I suppose the diet of the birds could also influence feather colouration too.
No sign of the resident Bittern – again – but the appearance of another star visitor in the shape of a Spoonbill was good compensation. These stately visitors normally use IMF to roost, but today was the exception that proves the rule as the bird fed non stop right up to the point I left!
Two different Hen Harriers flew through today, one and adult female bird and the other much smaller ringtail perhaps a 1st winter male. The adult female bird was sporting a blindingly white rump having presumably just acquired a new set of tail feathers – if you are oot and aboot on the estuary over the next few days it is worth keeping an eye out for this bird as its dazzling daz-white tail is very distinctive.
In a completely unrelated topic, I was reading an article today on how negative and fearful news broadcasting has become. It reminded me of a line from one of my heroes, the late comedian Bill Hicks, whom lamented the absence of any positive drugs stories on any of the networks.
“Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather.”
Inner Marsh Farm 05.03.10
1 Spoonbill
6 Spotted Redshank
110 Black-tailed Godwit
600+ Pintail
2 Hen Harrier
2 Siskin
Until later.
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