This morning at St Marys, I was engrossed in photographing waders on the beach,including Bar tailed Godwits, when a familiar call alerted me to 3 incoming Snow Buntings. A male and 2 females circled before landing on rocks at the water’s edge. They would not , however allow close approach and flew once more,circling and calling. An hour or so later, I saw 2 of them at the main car park. A good selection of waders present,with around 300 Golden Plover,100 Sanderling,3 Bar tails,41 Ringed Plover and a Purple Sandpiper. Turnstones ,Redshanks,Curlews and Lapwings too.
In the bushes of the wetland area ,a Meally Redpoll was disturbed from feeding and took flight ,calling. A pair of Stonechats were flycatching from a fence and a 3rd ,a juvenile was along at the mini-golf course. 20 or so Skylarks ,and a handful of Meadow Pipits in the fields and 15 Rock Pipits counted along the beaches.
In off the sea, flew a Short eared Owl , followed later by a Common Buzzard and the juv. Scaup,which feeds by day on the sea,came in again to roost on the wetland. A Water Rail was seen to fly across the wetland and run into cover on landing. A juv. Med. Gull was also on the wetland and an adult at the Briar Dene car park.
A.S.Jack.
