Saturday, 9th November: More of the same with settled and slightly murky but dry conditions, overcast skies and a cool but fairly light NE breeze becoming variable later.
Elmer Rocks: Generally little change in the weather or the local birdlife of late, though subtle additions show the season is moving on. There was very little moving over the sea, but offshore were six Red-breasted Mergansers and seven Great Crested Grebes. The clear highlight though was the first Slavonian Grebe of the winter here - and probably the rest of the County too - but although it was fairly distant and a telescope was certainly needed, it showed well enough on a calm sea.
Otherwise, it was very similar to recent days; up to 45 Ringed Plovers, three Sanderlings and just a few Turnstones and Oystercatchers were feeding along the beach early on, before they dispersed as walkers arrived, whilst the near-resident Kestrel was back on its perch in the boat club compound and six Little Egrets were in the adjacent fields. Two Chiffchaffs were also in the tamarisk hedgerows behind the beach, three Pied Wagtails and 25 Goldfinch flew east, and at least two Siskins flew over calling but remained unseen.
(above) An air of familiarity, as yet again the Kestrel visits one of its favourite perches in the boat club compound, whilst (below) two very grainy and cropped images of the Slavonian Grebe offshore. Light conditions and distance were completely against photography (for me at least) but although poor, at least it gives some idea, and fortunately 'scope views were much better.
Thursday, 7th November: Another grey, overcast and rather gloomy day; still dry but with a decidedly chilly E/SE wind force 4.
Elmer Rocks: A rather bleak morning along the beach, with nothing apparently moving or showing offshore except a few gulls and Cormorants, plus just a few of the regular waders - Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers - dropping in with the tide low and five Little Egrets around the rock islands. On the beach itself were 50 Mediterranean and five Common Gulls, whilst two Pied Wagtails and two Meadow Pipits flew over, but there was little else of note.
The highlights - such as they were - all came later along the hedgerows and back of the beach as I was returning from my circuit having decided to move on. Three Chiffchaffs were present in the tamarisk hedges between the set-aside corner and the Kiosk, then a Rock Pipit was located amongst the sea-weed debris, before finally a Black Redstart popped up on the fence of a beachside garden. The latter remained all too briefly before hopping over the fence and into the said garden, disappearing from my view.
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