Eddie Bathgate
Corton We met in the murk looking forward to a great day’s birding. A Dusky Warbler had been reported down by the old sewage works, so we headed straight there. The bird was very mobile and vocal, working its way back and forth along the back edge of the vegetation, only briefly pausing and giving good views. After the bird was seen by all, we passed the COSW taking in a Blackcap in the tamarisk and strolled over to the clifftop for a seawatch. Visibility was poor and sea birds weren’t moving, so our next stop was north up to the Radar Lodge. We enjoyed plenty of Meadow Pipits, and Linnets and both Song Thrush and Fieldfare were lingering around the fence line. Heading back we went past the Dusky Warbler site, which unfortunately for the waiting birders hadn’t been seen for a while. There were two Chiffchaffs in the church car park hedgerows and a Grey Wagtail called overhead as we made our way over towards the old railway line. Some birders there had either re-located the Dusky Warbler or found a new bird, which we heard but did not see. There were Goldcrests in the trees along with Long-tailed and other Tits. Eventually, after much patience, a Pallas’s Warbler was located amongst them, and was both seen and heard. Twelve Pinkfooted Geese and a Marsh Harrier flew over whilst we waited, but the tit flock had moved on.
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THE HAR R I ER – W inte r 2 0 1 6
Photo: Gi Grieco
15th October 2016 Leader: Gi Grieco
Mediterranean Gull Lunch was taken in the Gunton Links Road car park. Both ringed Mediterranean (E861 White) and Black-headed (J2TK) Gulls were observed and a Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea and circled us. There were few migrants in the bushes there, though we observed Jays busying for autumn and a pair of Stonechats. The Med Gull was originally green ringed 3XA9 as a 3CY (2nd summer) on 17/5/2004 at Zeebrugge, Belgium and re-ringed white E861 on 20/5/12 near Antwerp, Belgium. It has been sighted 110 times over the years and its log shows a clear tendency for a summer westward dispersal from the Belgium breeding colony. We ended the day around Ness Point. A Wheatear was on the fence by North Denes; Purple Sandpipers and Turnstones were around the point and a flock of seven Grey Herons flew south about 100m off shore. Our last bird was a Woodcock that came in off. It was a fun day, with two lifers for me, great banter and interesting birds.
