This turned out to be one of my best local birding mornings in quite some time.
While actually working I looked up to see a flock of around 25 birds fly slowly over. Unbelievably yet more Waxwings.
So when I had finished I decided to do a bit of a drive around to try and find them.
I had no luck there, but I did spy a flock of small birds feeding in a nearby Silver Birch. Going through them carefully, I identified around 20 Siskin, 10 Lesser Redpoll and one that was spot on for a Meally Redpoll.
Slightly larger, much 'icier' plumage, a very white wing-bar and what I consider clinched it for me, a very pale patch above the eye.
I continued on to Tongwell Lake, where very few birds were present as only a very small unfrozen patch remained.
Coots, Mallards, a few Wigeon, just the one Shoveler, a Little Grebe and an assortment of Black-headed and Common Gulls.
But I was then forced to do a double-take.
Surely they weren't Black-tailed Godwits standing on the ice! An unusual bird in Buckinghamshire at the best of times, but in December !, at Tongwell Lake !, standing on the ice !
Sure enough there they were , 2 of them, not more than 30 yards away.
Black-tailed Godwits |
I continued my Waxwing hunt around Giffard Park, not finding Waxwings, but another Redpoll flock, this time about 50 birds, but they were spooked before I got the chance to look through them.
Great morning Rob.
ReplyDeleteCracking find of the Black-tailed Godwits.
Agreed, great couple of finds today mate. Hope the 'Mealy' sticks around.
ReplyDelete