This morning, 200+ sand martins, 2 little egrets, no spoonbill

No sign of the spoonbill at Tom Edmondson, Charlie Owen (Teal), Ramsdales, on the spit or at the western end between 6pm and 7pm. It appears to have either left or gone to roost.

Other birds today, 100 sand martins this morning, raven over the ruck, little egret and drake mandarin.

Adult Spoonbill present from Tom Edmondson hide at 5:30pm this afternoon.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Little Ringed Plover on Ramsdales Sceape this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme 

Just a quick look from the boat club this afternoon produced a single drake common scoter in the middle. 

So far this morning:

5 Goosander

Raven

Little Egret

No sign of any Black-necked Grebes

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Seven black-necked grebes still present this evening but now in the middle and more distant.  Also two common scoter still and a few sand martins. 

Also this morning,  wheatear on the ruck.

Seven black-necked grebes western end this morning,  also drake & female common scoter still.

An afternoon visit today produced;

Common scoter 2 male & female, apparently not present this morning so probably different birds to yesterday.

Sand martin 14 at the boat club

Redshank 1 (Bill Harrison this morning)

Oystercatcher 3

This morning,  2 common scoter still present 10.30, at least 60 sand martins off east bay reedbed, 2 ravens over the ruck and 5+ chiffchaffs on South side between East Bay and the boat club.

Early to mid-morning today:

Pair of Common Scoter

118 Sand Martin, with a feeding flock off the car park and three other flocks which flew through fairly high W/NW

4 singing Chiffchaff on and around Ramsdales Ruck alone

1 Redshank

2 Greylag Geese

24 Redwing

8 Siskin 

Also this morning, a curlew flew calling over the ruck and briefly mobbed a sparrowhawk! At least three chiffchaffs singing. 

Five common scoter still present up to at least 10:30, but yachts preparing to come onto the flash so may not be present for much longer.

Horrock's hide is now open again.

So far this morning,  5 common scoter (4 drakes), 50 sand martins and chiffchaff singing.  Thanks to Bill Harrison for letting me know about the scoter and martins.

my highlight for today cettis warbler

This late afternoon to very early evening:

9 Sand Martins together through east 

Adult male Yellow-legged Gull clearly paired with a female graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull!!

6 Oystercatcher

This morning a flock of 39 black-tailed godwits flew in over the ruck from the west and then circled over the spit before heading off back west. Pity the water levels are so high at the moment, I think they would have landed otherwise. My previous highest count for the species at the flash was 10.

5 sand martins mainly on South side today. 

This morning, 8:15 - 11:00, 3 sand martins & 2 little egrets.

This afternoon, drake common scoter still present,  also shelduck and little egret in Ramsdales.

Drake common scoter in the middle of the flash.

Two Sand Martins present along the southern edge of the flash this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Sand martin just been flying around the middle of the flash, currently lost but probably still here. Also little egret east bay.

Two adult Mediterranean Gulls present early this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Two visits today produced very little, 8:45-11:00 & 14:30-16:30;

Black-tailed godwit 2 in Ramsdales this morning

Oystercatcher 6

Willow tit several around the flash

Kingfisher 1 Ramsdales

Also a black-headed gull with a blue ring with white alpha-numeric letters, TC10. Most colour ringed black-headed gulls at the flash have blue rings with with white letters and were ringed at the flash, but apparently birds with the code starting "T" were ringed in Poland. I've submitted the sighting and currently awaiting a reply.

2 Black-tailed Godwits still on Ramsdales Scrape this evening.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

This morning, 8:15 - 10.30

Black-tailed godwit 2 Ramsdales

Pochard 3 Ramsdales

Little egret 1

Snipe 2 Ramsdales

Oystercatcher 3

This morning, 

Little egret 2 in Ramsdales

Oystercatcher 4

Great black-backed gull 4 (3ads & 1st win)

Buzzard 5 soaring at western end

The great black-backs were the first I've seen at the flash in weeks.

This evening:

The recent 1W Caspian Gull hybrid

Adult Mediterranean Gull

9 Wigeon

16 Shoveler

30+ Goldeneye

14 Oystercatcher

Woodcock 

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

John Robbins wrote:

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could someone please tell me if i my photo is of the yellow legged gull 

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 No it’s not John, an overexposed Lesser Black-backed Gull

This mornings best were treecreeper, goldcrest, little egret, pintail and could someone please tell me if i my photo is of the yellow legged gull 

This morning,

38 Wigeon

1 drake Common Scoter 

4 Curlew through SE in two groups of two

Also, yesterday two Black-tailed Godwits from Ramsdales Hide

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

I'm wondering if the pintail has been around all winter. There was a drake that allowed quite close approach at the eastern reedbed on several dates before Christmas which apparently had previously been seen at the marina. Then I photographed a drake at point blank range at Three Sisters, Ashton recently. Perhaps they're all the same bird, possibly from a collection?

So far this morning, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 17 Goosander, 2 Little Egret and the drake Pintail still in Teal Scrape (anyone seen the bird fly, odd how it’s remained on there so long now?).

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

late afternoon today, a Black-tailed Godwit flew west over the spit, 13 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret flew to usual and an adult Mediterranean Gull roosted.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

First day back at the flash after a holiday to India was a bit of a shock to the system. I left India with temperatures around 37'C to return home to the UK to find temperatures closer to 37'F  . However, this morning 8.00-10.30am;

Whooper swan 31 flew north over ruck and then veered north west

Pink-footed goose 21 flew west

Shelduck 1 at the western end

Little egret 1 Ramsdales

Goosander 14

Goldeneye 13+

Oystercatcher 3

Lapwing 100+ on the spit

15 Oystercatcher present this late afternoon.

Late news for yesterday late afternoon when the first winter Caspian Gull (now considered likely a hybrid) was present in the roost again, a Little Egret was in Ramsdales and 14 Oystercatchers were present.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

2:15 to 3:45 around a few of the hides

Teal Hide - Male Pintail still showing on far right side, also Little Egret, 2F & 1M Goosander & very good numbers of Gadwall & Shoveler.

2 Kingfisher were seen flying down the brook along the golf course with 6 Redwing & M & F Bullfinch in trees opposite Teal Hide.

Bunting Hide - Lived up to its name with 14 Reed Bunting on or around the feeders, also 2 Stock Doves.

The bird table round the corner from Bunting Hide had plenty of activity with 5 Tit species, Nuthatch, M Bullfinch,

Chaffinch, Reed Bunting & a Treecreeper nearby.

Pengy's Hide - M & F Teal right in front of the hide, 2 Little Grebe & adult & juvenile Mute Swans.

Also an Oystercatcher on the shoreline near to the new cafe which is due to open this friday 3rd March.

Late afternoon to dusk this evening:

2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls

1 very vocal adult Mediterranean Gull

572 Herring Gulls

363 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

4600 Black-headed Gulls

16 Oystercatcher

36 Goldeneye

2 Shelduck

Thanks to all for the Common Gull info - never realised there was such leg colour variation - id (for me) has up to now usually been confirmed by greenish legs, especially if not with other gulls to confirm relative size.

(Apparent) 1W Caspian Gull present late afternoon today, also an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Well it helps eliminate Yellow-legged Gull (nowhere near Herring Gull size), it still seemed remarkably yellow legged for a Common Gull - but can't think of anything else it could be.

Early this morning 6 Little Egrets, 17 Goosander and the drake Pintail (still on Teal Scrape) were present.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme 

Michael Hood wrote:

So was it just a Common Gull with very yellow legs, or is this the (very) small adult Yellow-legged Gull spotted in posts below?

 

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 The recent 'small' Yellow-legged Gull is merely smaller than the huge male bird which had been in the roosts prior to it. It remains Herring Gull sized regardless. Hope that helps.

This morning: 9:30-12:30 - of "interest"...

• Bunting Hide: Blue/Great/Coal/Long-tailed tits (no Willow), Nuthatch
• Feeder between Bunting & Teal: 4 Bullfinch, 3M 1F
• Teal Hide: Male Pintail showing nicely, a few Redwing in tops of trees behind the hide
• Ramsdale: Little Egret (seen earlier on other side of the bay and then "hiding" next to some gulls)
• Main Flash: Plenty of Goldeneye and Goosander (no M)
• Gulls - the "usual" 5 types; Black Headed, Herring, Lesser Black-Backed, Greater Black-Backed & Common

Semi-mystery bird...

I was scanning the gulls, mainly to try and spot a Mediterranean Gull - unsuccessful. Looking along the gulls on the line of stones opposite the Spit there was a gull that looked pretty much like a Common Gull, but had bright yellow legs. Initially I thought it might be an "undersize" Yellow-legged, but then realised it was far too small, only just bigger than a Black-Headed. The legs were if anything, brighter than those on a Lesser Black-Backed, back of head was still a bit streaky winter plumage - if the legs had been green I'd have just thought Common Gull, but it kept itself with the Black-Headed rather than the few Common Gulls further down the "line".

So was it just a Common Gull with very yellow legs, or is this the (very) small adult Yellow-legged Gull spotted in posts below?

Originally posted today by Dave Olive:

Pennington Flash 23.2.23

Clear sunny day, 4C - 8C

Horrocks Hide locked due to work on the access ramp.

Sightings:

Coot

Mallard M&F

Tufted Duck (Flock) M&F

Canada geese, large flock

Black-Headed Gulls - Several flocks

Lapwings adj to Horrocks hide

Oystercatchers 2 adj to Horrocks hide

Cormorants, several

Mediterranean Gulls - 2 adj to Horrocks hide

Grey Heron 7

Great Crested Grebe Several

Song Thrush 1

Teal M&F

Mute Swans

Long-tailed Tits - Several

Magpie 1

Robin 

Shoveler Male

Woodpigeon

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Goosanders M&F - a large number of these at the hide before the feeders.

Read Buntings small flock of M&F at the feeders 

Chaffinch Male

Blackbird Male

Nuthatch 1