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Tuesday 4 December 2007

The Sand Bay Story - November 2007

My local patch during the week is Sand Bay, just north of Weston Super Mare. in the last week I've been down there a few times in the morning, just scanning the mudflats of the Nature Reserve end. Each time I set up the scope at the same point and viewed for an hour.

November 14th - 07.30 - 08.15
Sunny, strong breeze off sea, cold
70+ Curlew
7 Shelduck
1 Collard Dove
Linnet flock (8+)
200+ Starling overhead heading to Sand Point
200 + Dunlin, lifted from marsh
1 Raven, on shoreline
Blackbird, Wood Pigeon in scrub
2 Redshank
25 Oystercatchers

November 20th - 08.30 -09.30 Stationary watch
Tide right out : weather light breeze, warm and sunny, lovely morning
100+ Dunlin
Redshank
30+ Curlew
usual Linnet flock
Sparrowhawk
20+ shelduck
Great Black Backed Gull

Quite a quiet day, mainly as tide was so far out. however did meet a dog walker who'd lifted 50 snipe from the marsh, he'd also heard a report of the Short Eared Owl being in the Bay, but not seen so far.

November 26th - 15.35 to 16.45
Birdwatching on a mild evening - so with the curlews warbling song on the wind, why would I wish to be anywhere else as the sun set?
2 Ravens fly past, then landed on beach just 200 foot away
7 Oystercatcher
11 Curlew
Shellduck
Great Black Backed Gull
Black Headed Gull
5 Stonechat
Magpie
Kestrel, male
20+ Dunlin
Carrion Crow
1 rabbit silhouetted against setting sun on rock, wonderfully atmospheric

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