February 2008
Grove ferry and Seasalter.
06/02/08
A Green Woodpecker, seen as we left the Grove ferry reserve this morning.
I met Mike Gould this morning, and we paid a visit to Grove ferry. When we arrived at the Turf field hide, evidence of excavation work was clearly visible, with the area resembling a building site. We visited the hide, but there was nothing to see, bar 5 Tufted Ducks and a few of the common ducks that usually inhabit the pool. It was clear that all the workings had taken its toll, and due to the quietness of the place, we moved on to Stodmarsh. A Green Woodpecker was seen on the way out, and a small flock of Golden Plover flew overhead, they also deciding to give the reserve a miss. Nothing unusual was seen at the Stodmarsh end, a couple of Common Snipe and 3 Marsh Harriers entertaining us from the Reed bed hide, and I left Mike, meeting him later at Seasalter, as I wanted to try a new camera that I had purchased. The normal Waders were seen, with at least 150 Curlews in the field opposite the Sportsman pub, (seen in the same place as last weekend) with Lapwing, Redshank and Turnstones keeping them company. As the tide left the beach, we had an opportunity to photograph some Sanderling, Oystercatchers, and a bonus was a single Knot, feeding on the ebbing tide line. Common, Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls were feeding around the out fall, by the pumping station.