A STEPPE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

A quieter day at the nets with only 54 birds ringed this morning with birds species consisting of Dunnock, Wren ,Blackcap, Song Thrush, Tree Sparrow, Siskin, lesser Redpoll, Robin and Goldcrest.

A highlight of the Standardised Ringing Session was the trapping of our autumns first Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, photo by Hugh Hanmer

After closing the nets for the morning Louis phoned in quite an excited manner alerting us to a immature STEPPE EAGLE that was flying low south.We grabbed our optics and ran for the highest ground which in this case is the entrance road to the obs. On getting there we scanned and scanned but there was no sign of any Aquila's whatsoever. The sinking feeling was soon exacerbated on receiving a second phone call form Louis saying that a group of them at the tip were watching the bird heading back low to the north and it was now very distant in their scopes. We had missed it............Gutted is an understatement! 

Downhearted we took down and moved the pipit net at the rear of the garden. On completing this we headed into Gedser for groceries before heading to the tip to join Louis for a few superb hours birding on a lovely warm and still evening.

Although birds were not piling south quality by far out shone quantity with Little Gulls feeding in evening sunlight close offshore, a very confiding 1st Winter Caspian Gull which fed on the Harbour Porpoise we pulled up the beach, a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard at great height, a single White-tailed Eagle and a very showy pair of Black-throated divers that flew straight over our heads.

This was capped off by 2 Great Grey Shrikes that landed on the very southern bushes of the tip and started to sing and chatter to each other before flying out to sea........MAGIC!

Axillaries & underwing shots of  a 1st Winter Caspian Gull and a juvenile-1st winter Herring Gull for comparison, photo Hugh Hanmer

A very aggressive and dominant 1st Winter Caspian gull (top left) chasing off a juvenile argentatus Herring Gull with Adult argentatus doing its best to protect the porpoise, photo Hugh Hanmer

Submissive Adult argentatus Herring Gull and 1st winter Caspian Gull gorging itself on its rotting porpoise prize, photo Hugh Hanmer

Post breeding Black-throated Diver, photo by Hugh Hanmer

Adult Great Grey Shrike with the longest & sharpest culmen we have ever seen; a goldcrest killing machine!, photo by Jack Ashton-booth

Great Grey Shrike leaving out to sea! MAGIC

Sparrowhawk overlooking Gedser harbour, photo Jack Ashton-Booth

Thank-you for your continued support and following us, many thanks indeed Hugh, Rael and Jack