Ryan's Field PM Today,

As the skies cleared around 1pm today I popped into the hide at Ryan's field to see what was showing,  A large mixed group of mainly Golden Plover and Lapwing,  a couple of gulls and a dozen or so Redshanks  were all settled in the shallow water of the lagoon centre and stayed there wading around or sleeping for twenty minutes or so when all hell let loose as a hunting Peregrine came streaking in amid them causing panic and confused take-off movement from all of the resting birds,

Most eventually got away safely but not before the Peregrine had taken its toll on one unfortunate Golden Plover

The Lapwing gradually returned in small groups but the Golden Plover seemed to have had enough and all but a few stragglers had moved on to hopefully safer pastures

Other sightings included a pair of close showing Oystercatcher that might just be the pair that nested on one of the exposed lagoon islands last year raising two fine chicks against all the odds of them being predated.

When the sun shines the wading Redshanks always look good as they feed around the near margins

A lone Curlew seen enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sunshine

A Pair of Shellduck were busy feeding around the lagoon with this male already showing its full mating plumage

So  [ With the exception of one luckless Golden plover ] a good afternoon was had by all !!

Ryan's Field early AM

As I arrived at Ryan's field on a grey Xmas eve morning a large flock of several hundred Golden Plover flew in to join a few lapwing that were present on one of the small islands, Several Curlew were busy fishing for worms on the margins and even five Snipe were out from their cover,  A lone Grey Wagtail was foraging in front of the hide and a pair of Little Egrets flew in together, fished for a short while and left together looking for greener pastures,  Several black headed gulls seemed to be paired up and displaying to each other and four Dunlin that had been wading the margins headed off out over the estuary,  It was time for me to be off as well as I had a special family dinner to turn out for this evening and a fine Duck to prepare for Xmas dinner tomorrow,  Merry Xmas !!

Sunday morning at Ryan's field

I called in at Ryan's field again this morning looking to catch the Spoonbill fishing but I guess I was a bit early as the Spoonbill though present spent most of the time that I was there sleeping with its head and bill resting on its back,  Golden Plover stole the show flying in in large numbers to be followed by around a hundred Lapwing,  A small flock of five or six rarer Greenfinch were next to show perching briefly on one of the bank trees.  Daily residents such as a Lone Curlew, several Black -headed Gulls were as always busy fishing for shrimps, and an amorous male Redshank made several attempts to mate with a couple of un-cooperative female The Spoonbill finally decided that it didn't want to be left out of the photo shoot  and made a small effort to catch a few shrimps before flying off over the estuary,   All in all, A pleasant pre-Sunday breakfast visit !!