After being metaphorically nailed to the dunes at Talacre last week and thus suffering from a few wader-withdrawal symptoms, I heard the call of Connah’s Quay NR this morning.It wasn’t to disappoint with fourteen species of shorebird present in the AM.
One of which was this Barwit on the bunded pools that I have captured clearly in this superb image - I never realised the curvature of the Earth was so apparent!
Also appearing as soloists were a Turnstone, a Golden Plover, a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and the long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher that is now well advanced in its moult to winter plumage.
Making up the rest of the oeuvre were a quartet of Greenshank and Spotted Redshank, plus the usual good numbers of Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Curlew and a handful of Knot and Dunlin.
The Black-tailed Godwit flock is building, although most of the birds were aloofly roosting over towards Flint; their big numbers only being revealed when flushed by a monster female Peregrine that looked to be on a serious business flight as oppose to mere leisure.
Other notables included the welcome return of the Kingfisher to one of its favourite haunts (the fence next to stream in front of the west hide), and a Pochard on the otherwise quiet Ash Pool.
A fleeting to visit to Shotton Pools NR, produced a welcome Flintshire year tick in the form of a Green Sandpiper, plus another well known resident!
Until later.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteTell me who the well known resident is,and I'll get him!.............He should go and find his own 'Patch'.
Cheers Denzil
Denzil are you still going to shotton pools after what happened there?
ReplyDeleteI thought I was photographing a Black-tailed godwit in flight at The Quay but turned out to be a Bar-tailed was quite happy as it's a photography tick for me.
Pics are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/15863412@N00/4987922908/
and here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15863412@N00/4976216391/
Hi Ash
ReplyDeleteI am still going to Shotton Pools Nature Reserve,because I thought that I may as well see my Permit out.
The place is undergoing a major face lift at the moment,and I will just have to wait and see how this effects the quality of the Birding there.
In all honesty the Reserve needs time to settle down a bit after the Terns deserted for the second year running.
I hope that by the time all the work on the Reserve is finished,that they can sort out a better way of doing things,for example they are inviting School children onto the Reserve who are as young as 10 years old,which is brilliant,but at the same time,members like myself and others who have children of their own,are not allowed to take them onto the Reserve unless they are at least 14 years old???
Cheers Denzil