Last day of summer birding

 

RSPB Blacktoft Sands re-opened today after another closure due to high tide flooding. This is a picture of the footpath from Reedling hide looking towards reception. Another sign of the recent flood.

I walked down to Ousefleet hide and on the way these whooper swans flew east

 where I saw over 200 teal, lots of shovelers, a few mallard and 4 wigeon, plus these 3 whooper swans.

32 snipe were on Reedling Hide.

not all the snipe were easy to see.

I visited the other hides, and just walked into Singleton hide in time to see some bearded tits.

I returned to Ousefleet to see if I could find the ponies for Stu, who was busy looking after a residential volunteer. I could see 5 of the 6 ponies. In Ousefleet hide I joined Catherine, She had been on holiday to Norfolk and had a good time. She had bought some new binoculars, which she let me look through. We could not talk much as she had a touch of flu and nearly lost her voice. She left to go to other hides, and I stayed a while. Marsh harriers were active.

Ducks in flight when marsh harriers fly over.

Some of the 200 plus teal on Ousefleet.

On my way back to the car park these pink feet flew over.

Several thousand geese flew over the reserve during the morning.

I left just before 1pm to go home to wash my car. Why do farmers have to leaver inches of mud on the road, I saw 2 motorcyclists skid when they came across it.

Clocks change tonight, so my winter starts tomorrow and lasts until December 22nd when the daylight hours start to increase.