Bird meeting at Yarmouth

13th November 2016

17 members and one guest met in Thorley Road for a walk along the cycle track in Yarmouth on a beautiful and sunny morning. As the autumn has been unusually dry and mild the water meadows at Rofford Marsh had little water. However, we did see Mallard, Lapwing, Moorhen, Teal and Wigeon and, on the return walk, a well camouflaged Common Snipe. Winter thrushes were spotted flying and in the trees, mainly Fieldfare but some Redwing. A Greenfinch was spotted in one of the trees too. A Swallow was seen flying round the Mill House and it also landed on the guttering. Two were spotted there on the reconnoitre on Friday, so had a late brood been raised here? A Pied Wagtail also liked the roof of the Mill and House Sparrows were heard and seen nearby. On the Station Pond seven Redshank and 85 Blacktailed Godwit were roosting. On the waste area to the south of the Mill were two male and one female Stonechat and another two were seen on the estuary near Mill Copse. Two Mute Swan, an Oystercatcher, two Little Grebe and eight Curlew were on the Western Yar as were at least 500 Brent Geese. In a field opposite were 15 Canada Geese and one Greylag Goose. About 30 Golden Plover flew by. On the marsh opposite there were at least three Little Egret, a Grey Heron and a Shelduck. On our return trip we heard the explosive call of a Cetti’s Warbler, saw a Sparrowhawk and two Buzzard. In all we identified 48 species on a lovely morning. Jackie Hart

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