'Tuf' Love . . .

News of a 'Tufted Puffin' in Kent this morning was bitter sweet for the birding community as a whole but euphoria no doubt for the lucky 7. Feelings swayed from total excitement and desperation to see such a dream seabird, to total disappointment as the realization that the bird had gone and was unlikely to be found again (today anyway . .). What a bird ! I decided to console myself with some afternoon birding at Bawdsey - East Lane. The winds were strong, coming right in off the churning sea. I spent a few lame minutes striving to find my own Tufted Puffin, well a Sab's Gull or Leach's Petrel or something . . . but soon gave up after the first few Black-headed Gulls shot by.

A walk along the sheltered lane opposite the first pool saw a smart and very vocal Pied Flycatcher & a good number of Migrant Hawkers hunting in the sheltered sunny rides. The sea wall produced 1 Black Redstart & 3 very approachable young Swallows who sat up on fencing near the car park.

Evening on the Coast

Following a good few days at the computer sorting images I was relieved to get out to the coast this evening for a walk around East Lane at Bawdsey. Although the winds were fresh, I really enjoyed being there as the sun began to set & an autumnal gold filtered over the adjacent fields & pools. There were numerous Migrant Hawkers sat up in vegetation getting the last of the days warmth & a few waders on the pools, including Dunlin & Common Sandpiper. Swallows, Sand Martins & House Martins fed over the pools and drifted through in small numbers. A walk along a lane near the pools saw many tame Rats(!) as well as my first 'Pied flycatcher' of the Autumn . . .