February 2008
This morning at Grove ferry.
10/02/08
Little Grebe outside the Turf field hide at Grove ferry this morning.
Along with Jim Johnson and Ray Clarrie, we visited the Grove ferry reserve this morning. The sun was shining , with an overnight frost, as we entered the reserve at 8.00 a.m. With the work going on at the reserve during the week, we did not have high expectations, but managed a creditable 44 species, seen throughout the morning between the ramp, both the Turf field and Harrison’s hide, and down to the Marsh hide. We met Allan Ashdown in the Turf field hide, who joined us for the rest of the morning. Bird of the day was a Common Buzzard, that circled the ramp just before mid day, and flying off North towards Reculver. The new scrapes dug out in the field behind the Harrison’s drove hide, had 7 Meadow Pipits, and 2 Corn Buntings flew from there over the hide, towards the ramp. The Marsh hide was fairly quiet, with a solitary Water Pipit giving us good views, as it struggled to come to terms with the thin ice covering, and 2 Marsh harriers flew over. There were 2 Little Grebes, and a Water Rail was viewed from the Turf field hide, as were 4 or 5 Bearded Tits, but the area was fairly quiet due to the workings around the hide. Pipits were very much in evidence, feeding on the newly exposed mud, with 2 more Water Pipits noted flying over the pool. With an excavator in attendance throughout the previous week, the viewing has greatly improved from the hide. All the usual species were seen, with Lapwing, Golden Plover, Redshank and Ruff making up the Wader count from the ramp. A Stoat was seen running up and down a frozen dyke near the Harrisons Drove hide, giving Allan, who had his camera out and ready, (a lesson to be learned their somewhere) a good opportunity to photograph this splendid little animal. It was comical watching it running up and down, slipping on the ice.
Steve Ashton, Ray Clarrie, Jim Johnson and Allan Ashdown.