From Graham Brace:
Hi folks...
Following on from Merv Hopkins's post yesterday, today's foray proved more successful. We met Derek and the Dogs at the Gann carpark and he gave us the lowdown on Dotterel up at the airfield.
Before heading up there we had a walk along the path. There were numerous ringed plover and dunlin on the beach feeding along the tideline (high tide), a wheatear posed on the boulders and several rock pipits flitted to and fro along the beach. On the lagoons were 3 cormorants, 3 dabchicks, a small group of 5 teal, 2 greenshanks and two groups of blackwits (10 and 8) along with an assortment of black headed and herring gulls. A group of around 10 redshank flew in a disappeared behind one of the islands. Also present were 3 little egrets, 2 of which remained atop the trees behind the lagoon. A fine male kestrel first seen hovering above the far end of the lagoon flew off in the direction of Crabhall before reappearing moments later in the distance giving chase (unsuccessfully) to a small unidentified songbird. A single Med gull was on the beach before heading out over the sea.
On up to the airfield where conditions were extremely blustery. We walked down to the stony field to look for the elusive Dotterel and soon discovered it was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack! However, after walking halfway across the field Merv looked back and spotted movement a 100 yards behind us. Sure enough, there it was. It was very obliging indeed and we got to within 20 yards of it without it showing any fear of us at all. A first for both of us! Other birds present included a large flock of goldfinches, 2 chough, a single wheatear and pied wagtail and a smattering of carrion crows.
