A last roll of the dice

A final day's birding in 2013; I began at Cotham Landfill, lasting until I lost the feeling in my toes. The 1w Iceland Gull showed well, and an adult Med Gull also appeared from amongst the Black-heads briefly. I couldn't find anything else of note, besides a pale-tipped Herring Gull.

1w Iceland

A rather pale-tipped Herring

After lunch, a final trip to Collingham beckoned. Teal numbers were up, totalling nearly 200 across Ferry Lane Lake and Mons Pool. Waders included a Green Sand, 2 Redshank and 4 Curlew, whilst 3 Whoopers (2 ads and juv) were in with the Mutes west of the Trent.

However, I had to wait for dark for my main quarry, which had thus far eluded me at Collingham in 2013; I stood at Mons Pool as dusk fell. I thought the Jackdaws and Rooks had abandoned the island as their roost - I could hear them to the north and south, but Mons itself was quiet. However, just after 4.15, the corvids came flooding in in their thousands, wave after wave, in great wheeling masses, blackening the tops of the trees. A fantastic way to end 2013, but I wasn't going to hear the bird I was after above their chattering! 

A decided to head to Besthorpe Warren, but hadn't got 200 yards before I caught what I was after in my headlights - a Tawny Owl! It flew along the verge in front of me, and then over the hedge; rounding the corner it flew across the track. Pleased, I headed home, but not before it reappeared further on, then vanishing into the darkness. 

The sun setting over the Silt Lagoon