Pennington Marshes - Semipalmated Sandpiper
When the alarm rang at 5am, I was in no mind to head out on a cold drizzly morning. I stayed in bed and deliberated for an hour. The thought of enduring a tedious drive down to the south coast was not very appealing. Time was not on my side as kick-off was at 3pm and I had to be back well before then. Should I stay or should I go.
At 6am I bolted, got myself ready and was out of the door.
It was a great decision. Arriving at Pennington Marshes, the leaden grey clouds filled the sky, but it had stopped raining. The landscape with good visibility was a sight and sound to behold. The flooded fields and lagoons held good numbers of wildfowl and waders.
The coast path meanders towards the estuary and there was plenty to see en route to Oxey Marshes.
On the flooded fields, large groups of Lapwing were being shared with good numbers of Golden Plover, Common Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Teal. A single Ruff was feeding on the pools and two Spotted Redshank flew over.
There was activity was everywhere. Groups of Dark-bellied Brent Goose were constantly on the move as were Pintail with many flying over.
There were Avocet, Dunlin, Turnstone, and Ringed Plover on both sides of the path. A juvenile Long-tailed Duck was present on one of the lagoons.
Four waders were present on arrival at Oxey Marshes. Singles of Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, and the Semipalmated Sandpiper that showed really well as it scampered energentically along the fringes of the marsh. A lovely little wader with its dumpy bull-necked profile - was really thrilled to have got great views of it.
On the sea, half a dozen Red-breasted Merganser were loafing about and three drake Eider flew past.
A couple of hours here was not enough, two hours at the match was two hours too many.
At 6am I bolted, got myself ready and was out of the door.
It was a great decision. Arriving at Pennington Marshes, the leaden grey clouds filled the sky, but it had stopped raining. The landscape with good visibility was a sight and sound to behold. The flooded fields and lagoons held good numbers of wildfowl and waders.
On the flooded fields, large groups of Lapwing were being shared with good numbers of Golden Plover, Common Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Teal. A single Ruff was feeding on the pools and two Spotted Redshank flew over.
There was activity was everywhere. Groups of Dark-bellied Brent Goose were constantly on the move as were Pintail with many flying over.
There were Avocet, Dunlin, Turnstone, and Ringed Plover on both sides of the path. A juvenile Long-tailed Duck was present on one of the lagoons.
Four waders were present on arrival at Oxey Marshes. Singles of Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, and the Semipalmated Sandpiper that showed really well as it scampered energentically along the fringes of the marsh. A lovely little wader with its dumpy bull-necked profile - was really thrilled to have got great views of it.
On the sea, half a dozen Red-breasted Merganser were loafing about and three drake Eider flew past.
A couple of hours here was not enough, two hours at the match was two hours too many.
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