September 2008
Wet Wet Wet.
07/09/08
Windswept and rainy view from the Turf field hide this morning.
I visited the Grove Ferry reserve this morning, arriving at 9.30 a.m, in squally rain showers and a gusting South Westerly wind. Walking along the entrance track, I saw a Hobby, high up, flying over the reserve, and heading towards the Sarre flats. From the ramp, where I met Martyn Wilson and Allan Ashdown, I noticed several Ruff, 3 Greenshank, 1 Grey Heron and new for me this year at Grove Ferry, were 3 Duck Pintail, on the pool to the right of the viewing ramp. A further 2 Pintails, both again Ducks, landed on the pool in front of the viewing ramp, making 5 in total. There were Common Snipe hidden in the vegetation around the pool edges, and a Stonechat along with several Whinchat’s, were seen on the fence posts in the meadow to the side of the viewing ramp. A heavy shower had me running for cover in the Turf field hide, leaving Martyn and Allan braving the elements, where apart from a Common Tern, 1 Little Egret and a Garganey, there was not much to see. Two distant Marsh harriers were seen, flying over Stodmarsh, and a trip to Collards to see the pair of Black necked Grebes was cancelled, due to yet another heavy down pour as I made my way back to the car. I did notice a lot of Wildfowl arriving on the reserve during my short stay there this morning, and also a steady flow of Sand Martins passing through.