Very local birding today with a walk from my house along the River Plym to Saltram House and back, another walk that is not too muddy.
The female eider was showing well in the Cattewater but no sign of a great northern diver. A common sandpiper called as it flew low over the water. 5 little grebes were busy diving between the small boats.
A female black redstart was flycatching around the top of a nearby gas container.
5 more little grebes were found on the River Plym past Laira Bridge. 2 greenshanks were a nice find and 1 male and 4 female red breasted mergansers were busy diving for fish, spending little time on the surface.
A cup of tea and a slice of cake at the tea shop at Saltram House was a welcome break with long tailed tits and a nuthatch noted in the nearby trees.
A stop on the way back at the allotment at Teats Hill to dig up root vegetables for a stew for tea was brightened up by a flock of 50+ greenfinches circling overhead, presumably to come in to roost in the dimming light. Greenfinch seem to be a little scarce of late presumably due to trichomonosis infection so a flock this size was a pleasing sight.
A stop in the China House pub for a Crabbies on ice before heading home ended off a pleasant day. Back to reality tomorrow, working a late shift with no birding now until Friday at the earliest. Total for the year now 76 species.
No comments:
Post a Comment