North Duffield & Arctic Skuas in LDV

Dog walk this morning resulted in my first Cuckoo, first female Blackcap, and 2 Sedge Warblers back on the circuit.

Popped into North Duffield Carrs on my way to work this morning where there was 23 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 1 Black-tailed Godwit (complete with a set of colour rings - see below) and 3 Sedge Warblers. On the way to work I had another couple of Cuckoo and a good number of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Work was fun, at least it wasn't raining! Highlights were the Red Kites that showed really well for an hour or so. This Meadow Pipit also showed nicely! I had about 46+ Swallow heading north during the survey.

Meadow Pipit (Phone-scoped) 

Meadow Pipit (Phone-scoped) 

Back to North Duffield this evening and I got brief views of a 1st summer Little Gull, I got a couple of record shots below, but it was quite distant. There was at least 28 Whimbrel present, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank and a summer plumaged Dunlin flew east.

Distant Little Gull (phone-scoped) 

Distant Little Gull (phone-scoped)  

Distant Little Gull (phone-scoped) with Black-headed for size comparison

Interestingly the Black-tailed Godwit (below) was colour ringed with a code appearing to be:  right leg - yellow over white over yellow and left leg - white over yellow (all above the knee). Will see what I can find out about it...

Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit (phone-scoped)

One of the Whimbrel (below) was also colour ringed, I'll provide an update when/if I can get to the bottom of it!

Colour-ringed Whimbrel - where's this one come from and been to? (phone-scoped)

Biggest local news was the 2 Arctic Skuas that Tim found flying north through the valley in the afternoon - a great, if not a bit gripping find!