October 2008
Grove Ferry
04/10/08
Cormorant,from the Turf Field hide this morning.
I arrived at Grove Ferry this morning, at 8.30 am, and walked to the viewing ramp, noting a Green Woodpecker in the field along the side of the entrance track, but very little else. I noticed the Teal numbers have increased now, with several hundred on view from the ramp, but viewing was difficult, looking into a rising sun. The feeding station was busy, with all the usual seed feeders in attendance, and I did notice a few Golden Plover out on the main pool in front of the ramp. I did not hang about to long, and decided to have a walk up to the Harrisons Drove, noting 3 Marsh harriers, 1 a juvenile, and met Martyn, Marc and Allan returning from a jolly around the reserve. I tagged on to them, and ended up in the Turf Field hide, where an hour was spent, noting several Common Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank, several Teal, a few Mallard, 2 Shovellers, 2 Pochard and a Tufted Duck. A Cormorant was parked on the Tern raft throughout our stay in the hide, and a Kingfisher passed a couple of times, A Kestrel was seen, as was 1 Little Egret and a solitary Grey Heron. We spent the last 30 minutes back on the ramp, where Martyn pointed out an eclipse Garganey, another Kestrel was seen, and that was about it. Noticeable, was the lack of any Reed or Sedge Warblers, it seems that they have departed to there warmer wintering grounds.