Pale bellies and Laplands

Arriving at 10.30am at Hamilton Dock, I had just missed the Iceland Gull posing nicely on the near wall side of Hamilton Dock (having been told by Dick W and OFB who just bought himself a very nice Canon 7D), beyond the fence and had to contend myself with brief flight views before it disappeared. On the near beach 2 Purple Sandpiper and an aggressive Ringed Plover chasing off the 5 Turnstone were also seen. A Rock Pipit flew over here.

Parking at the Herbert Barnes car park by the Breydon South wall, I walked the long hike south- west past the farm, noting several reasonably close Dunlin on the estuary and more distant Wigeon and Curlew, meeting a well wrapped up Keith D on this bitterly cold day and in the field just in from the path, I counted an excellent flock of some 67 Pale- bellied Brent Geese and 2 immature Dark- bellied Brent Geese on the northern fringe of the flock. After a wwhile they all took to flight and landed well back in the field behind this field. By the grey windmill, a small rectangular area of field was flattened and had a lot of bird seed on it being eaten by a solitary Skylark. After a few minutes 3 excellent Lapland Buntings flew in and started feeding, one of them was a male bird. walking back I saw an excellent Jack Snipe take off and fly north & I gave directions first to Rene (Listen carefully, I will only say this once! & no, not the one from "Allo Allo !!) and then Phil H.