Spoonbill, Marshside 03/06/2019

[philglt]

The weather looked nice, so a catch-up at Marshside was overdue.It was rather breezy and the bright sunlight is a bit harsh in the morning there, but improves in the afternoon.The water levels are quite high at the Sandgrounder's hide, but is drying out at Nel's hide.
I started off at Sandgrounder's, where Black-headed Gulls dominate...noisily.A commotion amongst the birds revealed a Buzzard trying to eat something it had caught and a Herring Gull took a Black-headed Gull chick. After a while, I moved to Nel's for lunch and a long look at what was about. Currently, a swallow is nesting inside the hide so I sat at the opposite end.

A few pictures of what was seen...some quite distant:

Lapwing chick by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Ringed Plover by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Redshank by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Lapwing by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Redshank by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Little Egret by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Black-tailed Godwit by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Just as I was leaving, another birder came in and said that it was typical to find a spoonbill when he had left his camera in the car.When asked what he meant, he pointed out the bird which must have dropped in while I was tidying away!

So, the spoonbill:
Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Spoonbill by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Meadow Pipit? by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Meadow Pipit? by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

and back to Sandgrounder's for a last look:

Little Egret by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Little Egret by Philip Gaulton, on Flickr

Phil