Monday 8 May 2017

Cliffe Pools RSPB, 8th May 2017

Magnus A and I teamed up for an away trip to Cliffe Pools with a dose of wader action in mind. We did alright, with 18 species of wader among our total of 81 birds. Watching squadrons of Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin get pushed around the tide was a great spectacle, while other species included two Black-winged Stilts, single Spotted Redshank, eight Sanderlings, three Little Ringed Plovers, Whimbrel, a flock of around 70 Black-tailed Godwits, three Greenshanks, three Common Sandpipers, a few Turnstones and the hordes of breeding Avocets.

The highlight came while scanning the River Thames, a Crane entering my field of view as I scoped to the south and being tracked for around ten minutes as it pushed gently north-north-west. I've only seen the species two or three times in Britain before so was rather chuffed! Along the footpaths we were serenaded by six of both Nightingale and Cuckoo, along with a variety of warblers including six Lesser Whitethroats, while a Hobby dashed overhead.

Crane
Cuckoo
Black-winged Stilt