Saturday 28 November 2009

Sealed with a Miss

Took the family to see the seals at Donna Nook last Sunday and my wife was like a different creature - oohhhing and aahhhing all over the shot and taking so many photos its not true (they will feature in a follow up). Big numbers of Brent Geese were knocking about with a few distant waders. I didnt get a handle on any of the pale-bellied birds but no worries. After an hour of staring at the seals we jumped in the car to avoid getting soaked. It was then the apocalypse occurred. The rain was mental.

The second destination was Saltfleetby where a small party of Shorelark were associating with Twite and Snobs. After heading to the wrong brickyard lane in the vicinity I eventually found the place I wanted. En route a Weasel crossed the road in front of us.

It was still monsoon like when we pulled up so Angela and Isabelle stayed in the car whilst I got wet. As I walked to the end of Brickyard lane another Weasel crossed my path. Magic. The beach was grey but filled with passerines. A handful of super sum plum male Snow Buntings were dotted amongst the hundred or so present. Among these were the inobtrusive but more numerous Twite - about 150. I searched through this flock for 30 minutes or so and scanned across the saltmarsh but no sign of the Shorelarks. I decided not to leave my girls in the car too long and headed back only to be given a nice bonus - 6 Whoopers migrating south. Very nice.

A post-script to this is the shorelarks were seen laterly and not by me. Grrr.

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How birds and brains become mutually exclusive

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