A Wet Afternoon,Bonby Carrs......05.11.2015.

After days of crap weather i bit the bullet and went down the Carrs at Bonby this afternoon.The weather certainly wasn't great while i was on site,with occasional,drizzly showers before the rain,as promised set in.
 All was not bad though with some decent sightings as i walked down to the river and back.
 As i left the car,the first highlight was a smart adult male Marsh Harrier which was watched hunting the fields between Bonby and Worlably Carrs,a nice start and the first of three seen during the visit,with the others being a 2nd calendar year male and a juvenile/1st winter,all eventually heading east toward the estuary.
 With several scans of the surrounding hedgerows,it soon became apparent there were good numbers of Fieldfare present,with the final count being at least 565 birds,a very respectable count of this lovely winter visitor.Also associating with the Felfares was a guesstimated flock of 600 Starlings and together both species provided an impressive spectacle as they roved about the hedgerows and fields.
 Other passerines noted included 6 Lesser Redpoll,150 Linnet,20 Skylark and 30 Goldfinch.
 After reaching the Ancholme,i spent some time scanning the area and highlights included a single Short-eared Owl hunting in Appleby Carrs and a stunning flash of electric blue as a Kingfisher zoomed along the river after flying out of the adjacent drainage dyke,both welcome sightings.
 Other bits and bobs here included 2 Common Buzzard,12 Snipe,4 hunting Kestrel and 43 Greylag.
 On the return walk back to the car,the rain had set in,but highlight of the visit certainly brightened proceedings with a flock of 6 Pintail flying up from one of the fields and towards the river.This species isn't that common here and i have only recorded them on a few occasions,so it was a most welcome sighting.
 As i reached the car,slightly sodden,the family of 7 Mute Swans were still feeding in the Soak Drain and i thought to myself it won't be long before the two adults are chasing their 5 kids away,but for now they all looked happy.
 A decent visit to the Carrs today,despite the poor weather.