In the Pink

At midday I travelled towards Druridge Pools and found a flock of Pinkfeet in the two fields just before the Druridge entrance. The rain made counting a challenge, but I estimated that there were at least 3000. After a trip up to East Chevington via the new lake west of Widdrington, I returned to sit and watch the geese in the hope that they would fly to roost before I had to leave for home.

On my return the Pinkfeet had relocated in two fields further back and I found a good vantage point from which to view both. I counted the group in a newly sown field that’s very flat and there were 1200 at the start. The other field that contained a larger group is very uneven and counting is much more of a challenge. Birds gradually started to fly from the rough field to the smooth and I counted them as they went.

The final count in the smooth field before they flew west to roost at 16:00 was around 2600. It was interesting that the birds remaining in the rough field didn’t leave with the rest, but stayed a further 15 minutes before setting off in a more northerly direction. In the second flock I estimated a further 1000 Pinkfeet, giving a total of at least 3500. There was a flock of around 30 Curlews in an adjacent field. It was also good to see three Grey Partridges out for an evening walk.

The new lake near Widdrington held a few Mallards, Tufties and Goldeneyes. At East Chevington I had a brief sea watch. Very little on view – two Redshanks, a few Common Gulls and GBB and a Red Breasted Merganser. A Common Seal swam close to the shore.

I didn’t venture to the hide at Cresswell Pond, but relied upon a roadside view of the north end. There were large numbers of Widgeons and Lapwings; at least 300 of each. There were lots of Jackdaws and Rooks and a good number of Carrion Crows throughout my journey from home to East Chevington and back.

Passerines were in short supply, apart from a flock of at least 50 Goldfinches at East Chevington, a few Starlings, Blackbirds and Robins, two Fieldfares and two Dunnocks. The only raptor was a female Kestrel hovering near Cresswell.