Diver Delight!

Early start for myself who cycled down to the patch, 2 Barn owls en-route were nice. I headed for Gore Pt, en-route 2 Snow Bunts flew over, & then I was joined by Robert. 

The next 2 hours were excellent with a helluva lot of activity. Numbers approx, were c70 Red-throated Divers, c30 Red-breasted Merganser, c80 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Long-tailed Duck incl. 3 smart drakes, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Red-necked Grebe west, 10 Guillemots west, 6 Kittiwakes west, a steady passage of around 40 Fulmar, 2 Shags were feeding amongst a loose group of Cormorants just offshore, also small no's of Teal, Wigeon & Common Scoter.

We tried another half an hour off the Firs, the 2 stand out birds were literally just offshore a Red-necked grebe & a Black-throated Diver.

Scanning over the marsh, produced 3 Marsh Harrier, Pink-feet & Brents & rather fortuitously for myself a brief Bittern in flight, to brief to get Robert on to the bird! Still he's a few birds up on me, anyhow!!

A walk along Thornham Bank produced c8 Grey Partridge, Rock Pipit & c20 Golden Plover on the saltings.

Afternoon we took a walk to Ringstead, Robert clawed back Brambling & Yellowhammer. (& I got to see the sex toy I missed yesterday!!) Further on Robert located me 2 Marsh Tit & we also scored with Buzzard, Jay, c30 Linnet & Treecreeper. Probably the highlight though was non-avian, a full ermine Stoat crossed the path in front of us.

(Plus a load of Helmeted Guineafowl that Robert apparently wanted to photograph!)

female Brambling, Ringstead.

Finished the day with 4 Eider off the North Prom.

Chris - 87 

Robert - 92