A couple of twitches

 

Great Northern Diver at Weir Wood Reservoir

Friday 18th November 2022

I spent the morning with Mark and Elizabeth, showing them around Weir Wood Reservoir.  We finished up at the dam end where we managed to see the long-staying great northern diver. It was quite distant, but we could clearly make the ID using our scopes.

Penduline Tit at West Rise Marsh, Eastbourne, Sussex

Monday 28th November 2022

Martin and I went down to West Rise Marsh at first light.  We made our way along the sodden path towards the pagoda where the penduline tits had been seen for the past week or so.  Even though we both wore wellies, we couldn't reach the pagoda, such was the depth of water on the marshes.  The birders who had the prime positions in the reeds either had waders on or had rolled up their trousers, took of their socks and ploughed through the water.  We took the easy option and viewed from the path, using our scope.

• After 20 minutes or so we got our reward, a brief scope view of this lovely bird as it moved around the bullrushes.  All too soon however it had moved on and we never saw it again before we left after 90 minutes or so.

Courtesy of Alastair Gray

• There were 3 penduline tits present today, but we only managed to see 1 of them.  The birds returned intermittently during the day after we left, and I believe there were up to 5 by then.  

We contented ourselves with our brief, but excellent, scope view hoping we might get a second chance later on in the week when the water levels might be lower.

 Year total = 215