Escapology

Friday Morning wasn't the finest of late but cloud was high and dry above roads still wet and puddled by weeks of rain.  I was desperate for fresh air and to escape from confinement. 

While there's still no bird ringing, I decided to drive to a couple of local spots for a walk, a circuit or two while not breaking the rules. 

I nipped into our field at Gulf Lane so as to retrieve the dummy poles left at the Linnet catching spot. Richard will soon be be looking to prepare the ground for this year's crop of bird seed and cover crop. 

This proved to be a lucky move when a Great Egret flew from the field ditch, over the traffic of the A588 and then into the ditches behind the sea wall. Without fail there's usually a Little Egret or two in the ditch but not today. 

Great Egret

 

Great Egrets are following in the footsteps of Little Egrets by making their homes in Great Britain. Perhaps they are colonising more slowly than their smaller cousins did in the 1970,80s and beyond but they are definitely on their welcome way. 

Although I didn't see any Linnets there was a Stonechat and a pair of Skylarks larking about overhead. Spring has sprung in the last few days with the usual suspects in song at home and many other places – Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, and Wren to name just a few. For now the Stonechat seems not to have a partner and it may soon be on its way elsewhere. 

Stonechat

 

At Conder Green I parked up and walked the circuit that takes in the road to Glasson Dock, the path to the estuary, along the footbridge to the The Stork Pub and then back to Conder Pool. 

January 2020 - “Shock and sadness in aftermath of Stork Inn Conder Green pub fire”. 

The Stork - Conder Green

 

The pub, which dates back to the 1660s is now almost back to its old self except for the double blow of being forced to close again by the virus and yet more lockdowns. 

My counts came to 145 Teal, 70 Wigeon, 6 Goosander, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 15 Redshank, 10 Curlew, 44 Oystercatcher, 22 Lapwing. 1 Kestrel and 1 Cormorant. Evident today was how many Oystercatchers and Black-headed Gulls have set out their stalls for the coming season. In just a week I expect to see the first Avocets back from their wintering in South West England and to then start the annual battle for nest sites with the Oystercatchers. 

I poured a coffee from the flask and then parked at Jeremy Lane/Moss Lane for a walk along the quiet lanes, trying best not to disturb the wild swans now scattered into three or four parties of 310 Whooper Swan, 6 Bewick's Swan, 1 Black Swan, 2 Greylag, several hundred Curlew and a couple of hundred flighty Golden Plover. 

A winter visitor, the well-travelled Bewick's Swan is the smallest of our wild swans. It has more black on its yellow-and-black bill than the more numerous and highly vocal Whoopers. 

Bewick's Swan

Whooper Swan

 

Other bits and pieces spotted here during my escape from captivity – 15 Tree Sparrow, 20/25 Meadow Pipit, lots of Blackbirds and a single Stonechat.

 Linking today to Eileen's Saturday Blogspot and Anni in Texas.