Pot Black at East Hills
It was with high hopes that I started trekking out to East Hills at midday. The sky had been clear overnight and, even though the wind was in an apparently unfavourable direction, migrants were being found up and down the east coast.
There had been a very high tide, so the way out was slippery- less so on the way back, as it had mostly dried.
A bunting at the last (now non-existent) bridge, caused a brief flurry. It was probably a female or young Yellowhammer (I could see some yellow on it!), but the brief views I had did not enable me to confirm this. I could not relocate it, despite a search. On the return, another bunting showed here, but this was more like a Reed.
Climbing over the ridge at the west end of the sandflats, I had a Wheatear. On the dried out ‘lake’, there were 3 1st winter White Wagtails. A Chiffchaff called somewhere.
And that was it ! Where had the birds got to ? Certainly not here. The only avian consolation was a Barn Owl.
However, the photo below is of the best species of the jaunt: a male BLACK DARTER. I thought it might have been, when I saw it, but had to return home to look at books and ‘phone a friend, before I could be sure.
This was a most unexpected discovery. The marsh to the south of the Hills is brackish and there is no freshwater bog. I can only assume it has dispersed from a breeding site in the vicinity- but where ? There’s nowhere really close I can think of.
***SAFETY ADVISORY***
Do not go out here without good local knowledge, the timings of tides etc explained and, preferably, having been shown the way by someone who knows- at least once!
