Cold, cloudy, NE 3 - After trudging around farmland on yesterday`s Ted walk, seeing very little apart from a trickle of Mediterranean Gulls overhead and Buzzards soaring in the warm sunshine, this morning it was back to the coast although in overcast and frigid weather conditions. I wasn`t expecting much at Lade but for some reason wildfowl numbers had increased since last week to 60 Coot, 22 Great Crested Grebe, 180 Tufted Duck, 50 Teal, 30 Pochard, 30 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 20 Greylags and three Shelduck, plus two each of Goldeneye and Egyptian Goose. A flock of around 60 hirundines feeding low over south lake due to the cold comprised mostly Swallows, but with at least several House Martins and a Sand Martin in their midst. Also noted across the site: Chiffchaff, Cetti`s Warbler and Greenfinch, a Marsh Harrier over the main reedbed, a Sparrowhawk and a Raven being mobbed by a pair of Crows.
Moving onto Kerton quarry where I made it just in time to count the high tide wader roost. Amongst 200 Oystercatchers were 15 Bar-tailed Godwits (including two coming into breeding plumage), four Redshanks and two Grey Plovers all of which soon flew off to feed on the bay as the tide ebbed, plus a lone Sandwich Tern. A few more Shoveler and Tufted Duck were present, plus several pairs of Lapwings on the main island.
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