Sunday 6 February 2011

Sunday 6th February 2011


The only birding this weekend was spent off patch, an hour at Dymchurch slotted in between a family shopping trip to Ashford and visiting an elderly relative in Hythe.  A small group of Northern Long-tailed Tits have been in the area since November 2010 and I couldn't resist stopping by to see if I couldn't get sight of these little beauties.  I was in luck, the birds were feeding in the tree directly above where I parked my car - I opened the door and was met by the flock!  Another couple of birders were on site and we watched as they spent some time in the garden of the house to the west of the churchyard, sheltering from the strong wing in ivy and forsythia.  Four birds in total were counted...I just couldn't get enough of them (I'm expecting a crude comment from Warren or Greenie!)



I made a quick visit to Hythe seafront to see if the Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks, but they weren't found...not surprising given the strength of the waves.  A group of Turnstones were picking away further along the beach and as I walked towards them I started finding dead Pollack along the tide line, and then more, and then more!  Not sure why they were beached but there were other fish with them, all looking pretty freshly-dead.
Not sure of the ID of the flatfish or the fish second from the bottom right?  Greenie?








4 comments:

Ken. said...

Hi Adam.
Glad the trip was a success for you, and they was showing. Well done with the photo's.

Warren Baker said...

Ive seen the fish thing before Adam, I dont know what causes it ?

Greenie said...

Adam ,
Would I mention a 'fivesome' ?
Or even that they look like little powder puffs .
I'm just jealous of those cracking shots of those superb little birds , well done .

Paul said...

Hi Adam, nice pics of those special Long Tails, and the fish situation was weird?!