Pennington Flash Sunday 4th August 2.15pm onwards

In search of the elusive Green Sandpiper we started at the Horrocks hide over looking the Spit.

Here we spotted a Common Tern that gave some entertainment diving for its lunch, along with the Tern  there was the usual Canada Geese and Black Headed Gulls and large population of Lapwing and out on the water about 13 Great Crested Grebe. No sign of a Green Sandpiper.

We continued to watch an incoming Heron stalking the water and had a warm coffee, we then decided to see what was happening over at the Bunting Hide however we took the wrong path and ended up at the Ramsdale hide, last time we saw the Kingfishers, a good bird for Bethany's first real bird watching session. I think due to the rain it decided to stay indoors :o)). Now we had a major catastrophe the  flask was dropped and broke, no more coffee :o((. We did see, Heron, Coots, Moorhen and juveniles.

Meeting a couple of other bird watchers who had also been looking for the Green Sandpiper they suggested the Teal Hide (that's where they had come from and hadn't seen it) and look to the right. On arrival we saw a couple of Heron, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Magpies and once the rain had stopped, after about 5 min there was a very loud cry and a bird circling the area in front of the hide, once it landed, quite close by we had a great view of the Green Sandpiper. It moved quickly and was soon out of reach for a decent photo. so here is a view of what one looks like:

Hopefully one day I will see it again and have the camera ready to begin with :o))

At the Bunting Hide a number of new birds were seen:

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Dunnock
1 Wren
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Willow Tit - Conservation Status RED (Further info can be found HERE). Also a helpful video by BTO to show us how to tell Marsh and Willow Tits apart HERE
Blue Tit
Greenfinch
Wood Pigeons
Magpie

Another great day @ Pennington.

Finally some extra photo's;

Juvenile Blue Tit

Dunnock

 

Chaffinch