Last day of August

Cowpecker

Enjoyed these birds all to myself this morning.

  (Thanks to JF for finding them and getting the news out ... see his blog link in right margin.)

These two finally made them move after 90 minutes of observation.

This Great White Egret flew into East Chevington later this morning.

Anticipation

Reed Warblers feeding frantically before heading South. Some of them choose the Willows and Hawthorns.

Sparrowhawk sightings increase as more birds appear in the dune areas. One I watched today caught a Meadow Pipit. (Meadow Pipit numbers are increasing with several small flocks coming in off the sea.)

Druridge still worth a look. My prediction for the next wader there is Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroats and Blackaps all quite common early morning in the dunes at Chevington. Time for a Red-backed Shrike, but it seems Whitburn is getting in first.

Ketchup

Little Stint and Big Dunlin

Nursery Web Spider

A few Whinchats passing along the coast

Willow Warbler

Chiffchaff

Juv Marsh Harrier

Not the Crake

Fancy a paddle?

Whooa, not in the deep end matey!

This Redstart is still present after 2 weeks.

Crake pics (distant bird and photos heavily cropped).

Thought there might have been two birds but the redness on the bill probably accounted for by the changing light.

Peachy

A very young Sedgie successfully fending for itself.

Kenny

Can you see a theme?

This gorgeous bird may be the one JF photographed last week. Nice of it to stick around.

I tried a second shot but just as I pressed the shutter release I saw it fly away from me ...

... imagine my surprise when I saw this photo. It had performed a 180 degree flycatching manoeuvre back into the shot. Out of focus but who cares.

Small Copper

(Kenny L'Everet in case you wondered!)

Early Bird(er)

White-rumped Sandpiper

Watching the two Arctic Skuas passing over?