Goosander

The plan for today was a leisurely start followed by a trip to Widewater  at Shoreham to capture the reported Goosander. Imagine my surprise as I opened the bedroom curtains to check if the rain had abated, there on the fence "Stumpy" the "one-taloned" juvenile Sparrowhawk. I made a dash downstairs for the camera and Liz gently opened the window so that I could get a clear shot. God knows what any neighbours who saw the performance imagined. I noticed that I first photographed this bird on the 22nd August so the loss of talon hasn't prevented the bird from obtaining food so far - will keep an eye out for it through the winter.

 

Anyway, around midday the weather brightened as promised and I sped off to Widewater. Initially the bird was in hiding but soon emerged and performed the usual feed, preen and snooze routine that is normal behaviour for sawbills.

 Usual suspects at Widewater.

Then on down to Groyne No.4 at Ferring where the recent gales have flattened out the shingle so there are no 'shelves' for the birds to roost upon. Out in the gull roost were sprinklings of Great Black-backed Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and 50+ Ringed Plovers. Then back home for tea - birding is on the up again!