Saturday 14 June – Goldcliff Pools Leader: Jane Cumming

Only six people turned out for a spot of wader watching on this hot, sunny day but they were rewarded with plenty to look at, including all six regular dabbling ducks and hundreds of shorebirds. As well as Mallard, Gadwall and Shoveler, we saw two drake Teal, an eclipse drake Wigeon shining red amongst the Shelducks in the saltmarsh,
and a female Pintail shepherding four youngsters around the reedbeds – surely beyond their usual breeding range. The first pool had pretty much dried up but the others held plenty of water, allowing most of a Dunlin flock to hide behind the reeds accompanying a Curlew Sandpiper which remained hidden from our view all morning, though it had been seen earlier by others. We compared Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, watched the interactions of Redshanks, Lapwings and a dozen Avocets, and successfully logged waterbirds like Coot, Little Grebe, Grey Heron
and Little Egret. When the tide began to drop, all the Black-tailed Godwits, some in lovely summer colours, headed out to the beach and lined up beside the waves, allowing a count of 215. We were surprised to find as many as 35 Black-headed Gulls which presumably bred elsewhere, or not at all. Land-birds included Swallows, Sand Martins, Long-tailed Tits, Linnets, Stonechats, Reed and Cetti’s Warblers. The species total was 53. Thanks to Graham for keeping the score (thanks to Jane for leading). Jane Cumming