September 9 2012

After a month of almost solid work, it was good to be able to get out and have a mooch about.

First stop, Lynemouth Flash, where there was no sign of the reported Curlew Sandpiper. I did have an evening in the Bay during that month of work and I saw a Curlew Sand and Spotted Redshank here, so not too bothered that there was no sign today.

Next up, Cresswell, where I managed to stop Mike from getting recordings of Yellow Wagtail. There were at least three on show.

So I leave here and on a whim called into Druridge. One of the first things I noticed was this pony…

…it was well and truly stuck. I called IPIN to see if he had a number to call. He hadn’t and he was in Tarifa, Spain. And when I told him why I was calling, he told me where the pony was. It was in the same place as he had seen it on Tuesday. He just thought it was doing stupid horsey things. So I wandered over to see if I could help it, and saw this…

It looked very sorry for itself, but as I approached it lifted it’s head and started to paw at the ground, but it was well and truly stuck! (poor picture from the phone)

I called at the farm, and although it’s not their land or animal, they go and break the fence and the beast is free, after at least six days stuck.

After getting some phone numbers from Ian, I called a guy from the Wildlife Trust. He told me that someone checks them every other day, and that he himself had been there on Thursday, and that all of the ponies were stood up, in the same place. Well, yeah, one was stood in the same place, ‘cause it was stuck. I’m not a big fan of horses, but this poor bugger must have been suffering.

While waiting for the pony to be released, two skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over, my first of the autumn.

So I head back to Cresswell, where in the hide a good ole chunter was had with Andy, Bob and Roger and Sylvia. There is a Garganey on show, and a Bonxie, that we see catch, kill (by drowning) and eat a Coot!

I don’t think I have signed up for anymore foreign travel just yet, but we did discuss the up and coming two trips!!!