23rd September 2017

Headed down to Lodmoor today to look for the rose-coloured starling, a species I haven't seen since 2014. On arrival, I could hear large numbers of starlings in an overgrown ditch on the west side of the car park. Eventually I managed to find a place to view from, though almost of the birds were impossible to see from any public right of way. Eventually a large number of birds flew from here to the reserve, but I couldn't pick out the rosy. I headed over to the reserve where a decent number of starlings occasionally took flight before heading back to the car park - again no sign of the rosy. Of note on West Scrape were singles of Great White Egret and Little Stint.

Great White Egret - Lodmoor

Little Stint - Lodmoor

As I walked back, a few more flocks of starlings flew onto the reserve. One flock landed on the mud on the west side, including one bird which was clearly paler. I managed to scope the Rose-Coloured Starling just in time before the flock flew up. The birds continued to land and fly up several times before splitting, some heading back to the car park and some landing further east. I headed over to the Shelter to check the latter group, and thankfully the bird was there. I managed to get a few record shots of it on the deck before the birds took flight once again and dropped down by the car park.

Rose-Coloured Starling - Lodmoor

After this, I met up with Family for lunch and then had a walk at Ferrybridge. There was no sign of this mornings yellow-legged gull, but I did manage singles of Hobby and Wheatear. I lost track of time a bit and didn't get to Abbotsbury for the spot sand (which I'm hoping to get tomorrow) and the baird's sand was reported as a no-show, so I decided to skip these year ticks and headed home.