Catch up

I’ve been too busy to write up what I have seen over the last week so here it goes. Last Saturday I was at St.Mary’s along with many others watching the mystery Warbler in the willows. I got good views but don’t have the experience to make any claims as to what it might have been, I’m just glad is all been settled and I can now add Blyth’s Reed Warbler to my county list.

Sunday morning it was time for WEBS where the highlight was a drake Pochard amongst the Mallard near Stakeford Bridge. As I was leaving the house a flock of 20 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing flew from the tree in my front garden and continued west. Before an early finish we called in at Cambois railway line. No sign of the Hume’s Leaf or 2 Yellow Browed Warblers but plenty to keep us occupied. A flock of around 50 Redpoll, which contained a possible Mealy, were flying up and down the track. A very vocal Brambling was also nearby before flying off.

On Monday afternoon myself and SH returned to Cambois railway for a few hours. A lot more thrushes had come in overnight and a massive flock of Blackbirds and Song Thrush held two Ring Ouzels, which showed briefly in the dead trees before landing in the ditch near the top bank.

We also had a quick look at the Shags in Blyth Harbour on the way back. Not as many birds as usual but the highlight was a white ringed bird, LDT, which had been ringed as a chick on the Isle of May 9 years ago! Also in the harbour were 13 Purple Sandpipers roosting on the pier.