Sunday 3 November 2024

A quiet weekend with a showy Kestrel

On Sunday 3 November I parked up at the bridge nothing along Corton OTR although I did see James B and as we were talking a Green Woodpecker flew up and onto the left side of the trunk of a tree the other side of the road Stirrup's Lane, asI looked around Corton very little about save for a family of c12 Long- tailed Tits in St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Corton included Blue & Great Tits and a Coal Tit. I heard the "tseep" of a Redwing and walking to Corton OSW I saw one fly out from the carvan park, nothing around Corton OSW save for 4 Greenfinces, 3 Goldfinches, a pair of Chaffinches and a male Blackbird by bushes by the dyke. As I walked back I saw a Great- spotted Woodpecker flew west. I looked around the parks inc. Arnold's Walk, Sparrows Nest nothing there but as I walked around the Netposts, I saw a male Kestrel perched up and over the next hour or so I got a few pics as the bird was quite confiding and allowed a close approach with care. It was pleasing to see the bird hunting and catch a mouse/ vole which it dispatched and fed from a post. I walked up to the seawall and I saw a Rock Pipit perched on the newish wooden ramp it flew up to the Birds eye with 2 other Pipits. Looking from the seawall to the ledge below opposite the wooden ramp I saw 1 Purple Sandpiper amongst the 3 Turnstone, my first of the winter. I then went back to look at the male Kestrel again. Before I then looked around Ness Point where a grey Black Redstart with white flash on its wing flew from the turbine yard and by the defence rocks just south of the Point. A dog walker somewhat inevitably flushed just a minute after I found it, I then bumped into Rob H for a chat. Looking at the pictures of the Kestrel, I could see it was rung with a silver ring with a partial read of '725' and from a different angle '0 (or 8)944' &'4323'. So, I think it is 7250 (or '8')944323 maybe??

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