It was pretty much, Seventh-Heaven, on the 'Patch' today

We arrived a little later than we would have ideally liked; the Incoming Tide was fairly well advanced and we missed the dear Ringed Plovers who had departed for their Inland, High Tide Refuge.

But while walking up the Footpath leading from Crabtree Manorway North to the Thames Path we looked up and spied a Buzzard flying and circling high above us. Our first of the Year!

So we are now up to 74 Bird Species on the 'Patch' for the 'Patchwork Challenge 2016'. Our most recent Sightings have been:

Great Tit (Number 70)
Kingfisher (Number 71) viz. (you have to look super-closely but it is there)
Common Sandpiper (Number 72)
Wigeon (Number 73) viz.
and today's Buzzard (Number 74).

We are also 99% certain that we spotted a Shoveler swimming/feeding mid-stream in the Thames but it was a pretty dreary day and annoyingly the Duck was just too far distant for us to be absolutely certain as to its identity.

But enough of that. We didn't see many Bird Species today; but that is par for the Course. Truth to tell, we reckon to see about 70% of the Birds that a 'proper bird person' will see during an Outing although sometimes it seems far less than that; perhaps down to 30%!

But there were two distant Peregrine Falcons resting on the side of the nearby Waste Incinerator and of course, the aforesaid Buzzard.

And (six) Dunlins, (three) Black-Tailed Godwits, a few Lapwings and some Black-Headed Gulls both charmed us and kept us fully entertained.

Other Birds seen: Canada Geese (flying Upstream), Cormorants, a Dunnock, House Sparrows, a Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Mallards, a Redshank and Teals.

And with a Sunny Day to boot; we were Content. Perfectly Content.

A Footnote: it was very quiet Shipping-Wise although we made a first sighting of the Research and Survey Vessel, Solent Guardian viz.