The humble Dunlin was the star of the show at Connah's Quay this morning as inchoate groups of this diminutive wader slowly coalesced into one large flock of three to four thousand birds.Unable to settle they spent most of the period around high tide whirling around over the Dee channel whilst the grounded Oystercatcher et al roosted on the edge of the marsh in a more relaxed fashion.
Fewer wildfowl today than in previous times with fifty or so Teal and a handful of Shelduck the only ducks seen from the West Hide. The Bunded Pools were a little more varied with a trio of Goldeneye the highlight.
Five Pink-footed Geese seem to have taken up residence on Oakenholt Marsh - perhaps a family group - although they were very distant favouring a channel behind where the 'big gulls' roost over the high tide.
A Kingfisher was conspicuous again perching in front of the hide - there have been two seen together recently refelcting the excellent numbers of this bird that seem to be present along the welsh side of the Dee.
No raptors at all today, so it is a little puzzling why the Dunlin were so flighty...
Connah's Quay NR 22.11.10
3,000 - 4,000 Dunlin
1,500+ Lapwing
1,500 Oystercatcher
3 Spotted Redshank
5 Pink-footed Goose
3 Goldeneye
6 GC Grebe
15 Linnet
1 Kingfisher
Until later.
Hey Paul, good blog, thanks for the tip! I hope you got on OK at Bolton. Less time to go out mooching around now?
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get much chance to talk the other day, so I didn't get to tell you about a few of my birding highlights from this year. Small beer for a man of your calibre, but noteable for me. Choughs on isle of Man when over for the TT early Summer. Had a week down in South Hams (Devon) in early Sept. and was pleased as punch to see a Glossy Ibis at very close hand (30m away) at Afferton Gifford, Cirl Buntings at Prawle Point and best of all the Mexican House Finch that's been drawing twitchers to the area all summer. Conveniently hanging around in a Maple right opposite the pub in East Prawle! if only all birds were that considerate. All of this largely incidental sightings whilst out on prehistoric flint finding walks along the coastal paths.(been getting more into archaeology this year, having been involved in an excavation behind Pendle Hill with a local group this Summer) More recently, pleased to watch a good flock of Waxwing at Barrow (just up the road from us, so very handy) and finally, the return of our local Mrs Sparrowhawk only this morning! I hadn't seen her for a few months, but I guess she's drawn to the bird tables now some cold weather has grouped the garden birds in. Success too with my Sparrow terrace after 2 years of only Blue Tits, I had Sparrows in one end, Tits in the middle and a wasps nest in the other end; all at the same time. Top entertainment. Anyway, too much other stuff to recount here; I'll have to get in touch and maybe even find may way out to your neck of the woods some time. Cheers, Paul H. (hope this doesn't go straight to the blog? I'm not really up on these things.)