Wednesday, March 13, 2013
A common sandpiper was still on East Marsh at Dorney Wetlands.
The kite was on the edge of Dorney Common. It was plucking feathers from something small and dark; I couldn't see what it was at the time but there seems to be a bill pointing out to the right.
It's the second time I've seen a kite with a small bird as prey, except that the first time the raptor did actually catch the bird in mid-air, with the help of a second kite which then forced the grabber to drop it. On this occasion, there's something a little lacklustre about the prey item, so maybe the kite scavenged an already dead bird.
Along the hedgerow near the willows, a green sandpiper was feeding. The robin provided a size comparison, reminding me how small these waders are.
On East Marsh as I walked back were four lesser black-backed gulls, sleek and stunning in breeding plumage.
// posted by Christine @ 11:09 AM 
