Thursday 21 April 2011

Back to the marsh

At the request of my neighbours John and Hanne we took an afternoon walk at the marsh at Capestang.  Almost as soon as we started walking 5 Squacco Herons flew up from a flooded meadow together with a few Little Egrets.  Initially the same species as seen and heard on previous visits were visible.

On reaching the bend in the track and looking right we noted a Spoonbill feeding amongst Shelducks and a large group of Black-winged Stilts.  By now were seeing large numbers of Swifts overhead and inevitably after a while there was a Hobby causing havoc amongst the flocks.



Black Kites and Marsh Harriers were evident and a single White Stork passed by high overhead.  A group of 15 Whiskered Terns moved north and were later found hawking for insects over a flooded meadow.  Purple Herons passed over every now and then and a Wood Sandpiper flew over uttering its "chiff chiff" call.



Great Reed, Reed and Cetti's Warblers were all in song and once again the marsh gave immense pleasure for a brief walk.

Heading home a male Woodchat Shrike perched on a dead branch in a hedgerow.

Finally thanks to Susan Wallis and Ken Hall for pointing our that my green beetle (April 17th posting) is a Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata

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