NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

14 hours is a long time, not just in politics, but also in birding. I had reason to stay close to the holiday home today so thought it a good opportunity to keep an eye on Maer Lake (at the bottom of the garden). The water level is currently low - more mud is being exposed by the day- and is attracting a fine selection of waders. The Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Wood Sandpipers of previous days had all moved on, but as the hours passed the 3 Black-tailed Godwits became 5, then 6, then eight. The lone Greenshank of the past two days attracted another mid-morning before both left the site noisily. Green Sandpipers were always a feature, with four birds sharing the margins with five Dunlin, five Common Snipe and a Common Sandpiper. A Ruddy Shelduck (here for day four) was surprisingly elusive for hours on end; two Little Egrets flew in for just an hour; and the three Water Rails that entertained me for half-an-hour between 05.45 - 06.15 weren't seen at all for the rest of the da...

This afternoon I was scanning Maer Lake (from the road that runs along it's western side), when a car drew up and the driver asked the universal birder's question "Much about?" At this point we both did a double take. "Steve Gale?" said he. "Harvey Kendall?" came my reply. And so it was that after last seeing each other 35 years before, two birders met again. In the summer of 1979 (as the years go by fast becoming my own anus mirablis), I was assistant warden at Dungeness Bird Observatory and Harvey and his son Ian were visitors from Cornwall, mainly to gather knowledge in the art of bird ringing. It was during August and, with the clarity that only youth seems to retain in a middle-aged mind, it was a tremendous period of migrant falls at Dungeness, a daily procession of hundreds of Willow Warblers, tens of Garden Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Common Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers and the odd Wryneck and Icterine Warbler thrown in for good measure...

Standing at the kitchen window I can quite literally see 6 Green Sandpipers feeding at the waters edge. I'm most certainly not in Banstead - I'm in Bude, north Cornwall, the bungalow in which we are staying backing onto Maer Lake. This property is heaven on earth to a birder, as you get unrestricted views across the reserve. We've been here before and from the garden I have recorded Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Peregrine, Raven and Little Egret. The reserve list includes Citrine Wagtail, Semi-p Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope... I could go on. Needless to say, I'm keeping one eye on the lake and the other on a host of food and drink. If you haven't done already, check out Dylan Wrathall's  latest offering over at 'Of Esox and observations' where he has re-sharpened  his claws and has gone for the pan-listing jugular. He does have some interesting points to make and I will be responding in a post soon. A lively (but friendly) debate may ensue!