Goose Chase 2 (The Return) (this time Margie's in charge!!)

 With yesterday's fiasco fading into memory (see yesterday's post, be warned a tale so sad you may need a whole box of tissues to get through it😭) I decided another crack at the Geese on Iford Brooks was in order, fairly latish start, as I recovered from the aches and pains of yesterday's superyomp and also we had to have breakfast,(apparently)  Margie had decided to supervise proceedings so was ready to go at about 8-45am. Thanks' to the good people of Facebook I now knew where we were going, information that had been readily available for over a week had I bothered to look, but hey-hoe you live and learn!! Although as Margie quite often says "You never learn" she also says "You never listen" quite a bit, possibly needs to work on her catchphrases!😀 

On arrival at Iford Church we parked in the church car park, good to see, Weir Wood's most prolific birder heading up the track as we arrived, having someone present who knows what they are doing could make separating the various Geese a whole lot easier!! Kitted up for the lovely weather, gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine, what a difference a day makes! We headed up the track, we passed some birders who confirmed the birds as present , approx 1/2 a mile up the track, this turned out to be optimistic as was at least a mile, more blooming walking. Now  Margie has a multitude of good points that I won't list here, but fast walking ain't one of them, she was as she put it, enjoying the surroundings as we ambled along, stopping to take scenic pictures on the way(she would later describe it as a "Route March") Now had these been a lifer I would have forgone the niceties and ploughed on ahead,I have been know to run, or at least my approximation of it, on these occasions, however  it wasn't so I didn't, instead, getting ahead, waiting, getting ahead waiting etc, much like an enthusiastic spaniel constantly having to go back and see where the humans have got to😂, Geese anxiety was kicking in!!! However we soon reached the site where a few birders were leaning over their scope and after some anxious scanning following their directions, all three species were spotted. Hurrah, whoop, whoop, etc!!!!!!! Unfortunately they were quite distant, under some bushes and in and out of ditches so pictures are basically pants!

Lewes Castle by Margie

The long road to Goose heaven by Margie

Robin by Margie

The below pics are of the Geese, although through the scope it was possible to split the three species the taking off pictures was very much hit and miss and consisted of pointing the camera in the general direction of where I thought the Geese were and firing away, so the ID's are what I think the  birds are, from looking at the pictures and my memories of what I was looking at when I took the pictures, rather than in the field, where as said previous, ID-ing was much easier through the scope, if anyone thinks different don't hesitate to comment, although as it is back views of 2 of them wont be easy 😀

Pink-footed Goose

The 3 Bean Geese

Greater White-fronted Geese with Canada Goose behind showing size difference

After 30 minutes or so, we mooched back down the track to the bridge over the Celery Sewer, not that much else about although some Meadow Pipits, couple of Reed Buntings, some flyover Pied Wagtails, we were enjoying the sunshine and the views, I tried to get a few pics of Reed Mace, and the other Reeds as did Margie.

Meadow Pipit

Two Meadow Pipits

Reedmace

The Celery Sewer, much prettier than the name would suggest!

Quite pleased with this one, very Arty!

Distant Lapwing Flock

Quiet pleased with this one as well!!

Reed head by Margie

Reeds by Margie

I am reliably informed that this is Ashcombe Mill, above Kingston taken by Margie

Celery Sewer by Margie

And again

Hopefully those pics give an indication of what a nice day it was, also of interest, the flock of Lapwing was spotted and identified  coming over the Downs at great distance by Margie, whose other catchphrase "I'm not a birder" may need revisiting!! 

At this point a small aeroplane flew low over the brooks, sending all the geese up in the air and over the hedge to relocate on a pond in the distance!!

Spooked Geese, some Whitefronts at the bottom 

Relocated Geese on distant pond by Margie

Slowly the Geese began to return to the fields, pleasingly somewhat closer, although still distant, more birders began to arrive, Margie (not a birder) called a Kingfisher in flight, I was to slow for a pic, even though I heard the call and should of been ready! Margie also spotted a Little Egret at approximately a mile distant and a Grey Heron in a reed fringed ditch even further away!!! Not bad for a non-birder, I got in on the act, with a nice Male Marsh Harrier, also massively distant and viewed through the gaps in a hedge, so I think only a couple of the assembled crowd got on it! Meanwhile the Geese kept arriving with the Bean Geese and Whitefronts spotted though I couldn't refind the Pinkfoot, the muddy part of the field also had a lot of Pied Wagtails on it plus Meadow Pipits and Skylarks though to distant for pics! Some slightly better Geese pics below, don't get ya hopes up they are still pants

Incoming Whitefronts

Whitefronts and Greylags

Incoming Bean Geese

and again

Whitefronts

Greylag flypast

And again

So we left the crowd to it and headed back along the path, Margie said she heard a Buzzard so I scanned the skies and sure enough picked up a Raptor, but wait not a Buzzard, our second Marsh Harrier of the day, I thought at first  a  female but now wondering having seen the pictures it may be a 2nd year male, opinions welcomed! Was blooming miles up in the air. Pics below

Marsh Harrier

So mission accomplished good scope views of all three species of Goose though not sure it was worth the 8+ miles walked over the 2 days!!!! But a much better, highly enjoyable day, although worryingly for January I may have got sunburnt!!!😱 

We celebrated by eating the remainder of, what has to be said, was the delicious Organic gooey Flapjack I made yesterday to console myself in failure, cakes are good for all occasions!!

Double Yum!!