We then headed for Rose cottage and the Church yard,a nice short walk produced a single Fieldfare but plenty of Song Thrush we reached the Church yard and a quick chat to a couple of birders told us a Pied Flycatcher was about,but we waited a short while to no avail but they also told us a Common Redstart was also over the road so we went and had a look when Jacqui asked what's that in the bottom of the tree I could only see parts of it but enough to say you found your own lifer,she was so excited to have found it.
We continued on to start walking down along canal bank when a Arctic Skua came gliding along close to us and quick shouted it to Jacqui her second lifer in a few minutes,but she told me it went around the corner so we walked along back to the Crown and Anchor where I could see it sitting on the beach,so with some fieldcraft we was the only people around we was able to creep up on it and get some great shots before it flew a little way on to the flats and sat again.We continued our walk when we decided on having a sit down to watch the many waders which consisted of Common Redshank,Dunlin,Golden Plover and Turnstone also plenty of Shelduck a few Brent Geese and Little Egrets also on the flats,after alf hour we carried on towards Canal Scrape hide but just before we reached the car park a birder coming towards us gave a signal to stop and whispered Firecrest and he pointed to the bush next to me and there it was about 3 feet away I stepped back so Jacqui could bag her third lifer of the day,her face was just a picture now full of smiles but we lost it in the bushes as it flitted about with the Goldcrest.
We reached the hide and immediately Jacqui bagged her fourth lifer with Jack Snipe standing up bobbing,but I was unable to get a shot of it before it settled back down due to my birdwatching instinct rather than grabbing the camera.
After a while Richard Willison walked in and I asked him about the Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and he told me it had been trapped and turned out to be a Common Grasshopper Warbler,so I didn't bother to rush off.
Jacqui and myself continued along the beach path back to the car park for a coffee and sandwich,remembering the Rock Thrush on the way.
We then drove down to the point which just seemed birdless as we walked around the bushes with only 3 Swallow and a flock of Starling,we then drove back to canal scrape to see if the Jack Snipe was showing but hadn't moved so only got a few record and obscured shots.
We then headed back to the Church yard but as we walked from the Crown and Anchor a shout went for Red-breasted Flycatcher so we hurried round and there it was showing in the tree flitting about then a shout went from behind us for Pied Flycatcher so Jacqui bagged two Flycatchers in the same amount of minutes taking her to six lifers for the day and a total of 204 for her life list.
A brilliant and productive day was had.
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Common Kestrel |
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| Red-breasted Flycatcher |
