Pennington Perambulations 19th Nov

The weather was sunny with some rain showers and a chilly wind. The highlights were Red-breasted Merganser and an Eider on the sea, an oiled Guillemot on the beach, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and at least 2 Mediterranean Gulls on the beach and 1 Kingfisher.

The morning had been very sunny and quite warm (I saw 3 Red Admirals), however by the time we set of from the Chequers Inn there were threatening clouds in the sky. The first part of this walk goes through a couple of fields and then down a lane towards the marshes. We saw a Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Greenfinch, Stonechat and Collared Dove here. And we got wet in rain shower number 1. At the first of the marshy fields there must have been at least 500 birds. A mass of Wigeon, Teal and Lapwing with many Pintail and a few Oystercatcher and Shoveler. We watched them for a while and then continued down the track to the sea. Rain shower number 2 hit here! There were a few Meadow Pipit and Mallard in the wet fields and a Great Black-backed Gull flew by, but it was pretty quiet here.
However, when we got to the sea shore the place was alive with birds. Pied Wagtails on the shingle in front of us. Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Turnstone and Little Egret all feeding on the mud exposed by the falling tide. Further off there were several Brent Geese and on the sea we saw a few Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Eider. We walked along the sea wall and saw more of the waders. Rain shower number 3 hit and all we could do was just stand and look at each other for a couple of minutes. Then the sun came out again.
We looked at the beach one final time before we turned inland again and amongst the Black-headed Gulls we picked out at least 2 Mediterranean Gull. Looking closely at the waders again revealed a lone Bar-tailed Godwit feeding next to a Curlew. We very infrequently see these in winter here. We turned to walk inland and a Kingfisher zoomed past flying the length of the lagoon next to the sea wall.
A wonderful afternoons birding, if a bit wet at times was rounded off nicely by coffee in the Chequers!
Simon Curson