November 22nd

On a still and cloudy morning we walked from Chamber's Wall to the Oyster Farm lagoons and saw 11 Chaffinches, 7 Goldfinches, 10 Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 4 Redshank,3 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers, 161 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 28 Ringed Plovers, 1 Kestrel, 7 Turnstone, 11 Red-throated Divers, 3 Stonechats, 9 Meadow Pipits, 2 Coot and 8 Reed Buntings. 

As we neared Chamber's Wall crossing on our walk back to the carpark we heard a Skylark singing strongly high above us and on looking up saw that it was being vigorously chased by a Merlin. This is a strategy Skylarks use trying to prove to the Merlin that they are superfit birds and not worth chasing. After about two minutes the Merlin took the hint and gave up the chase and flew off.

Female Stonechat