Sunday 20 January 2013

Empty Estuary

At first light under heavy grey skies with a keen easterly wind, or a lazy wind as they would say in Norfolk because it goes straight through you, I set off down the path to the estuary. In the half-light I could hear the 'pop pop' of shotguns and the call of 'Pinkies' taking flight. When I got to the estuary it was pretty devoid of birds due to the disturbance by the shooters.

There were quite a few Blackbirds along the Hawthorn lined path to the estuary and in total I had 20. I had a look on the pool and it held four Pochards, 21 Tufted Ducks, 29 Coots, two Wigeons and five Mallards.

I bumped into Ian and we headed across the peninsula to have a look on the sea. By this time there was more northerly in the wind and it was biting standing there without any shelter. The sea was relatively quiet other than 25 Red-throated Divers heading north.

Driving away from the coast Ian spotted the Kestrel below that looks as though it was in the process of devouring what looked like a wader; Sanderling perhaps? It had no intention of giving its meal up and it stayed put when people walked past it within a few yards! 



No comments: