A fine day and cold east wind but our first Brent geese and Whooper Swans of the autumn. 11 folk turned up to see over 40 species including male Eiders offshore with Wigeon among the rocks and an instructive arrangement of cormorant and shags on the boulders. In the background was a feeding frenzy of at least 200 mixed gulls with a constant stream of small groups of auks. In the river were a party of not-so-mute swan cygnets all chattering to each other and a family of Goosander whilst on the Broadwater was a large expanse of mud! A few Ringed Plover, Redshank, lapwing and gulls kept us busy until the Whoopers were spotted putting their heads up for a second or two to confirm id. Kestrel, Buzzard, Kite were overhead but earlier there had been a couple of Chough. The smaller scale supporting cast comprised mipits,skylark and stonechats.
Many thanks to Dick Yorke for guiding us.
Those of you thinking of an independent visit please note that there will soon be a bridge for walkers across the river and that the off-putting number of dog-walkers were all well behaved (the dogs were not bad either) and the resident birds seem used to disturbance!
