The large flock of Common Redpolls (50 +) was high in the alder trees at the base of Peninsula B, easily seen from the main road against the bright blue sky around 2:30 pm. Earlier they were on Peninsula A. Last Saturday they flew in to D when I was there but apparently they spend most of the time far out towards the end of the Spit. It takes a good hour to walk out to B and as there is no ice anywhere you get great looks at the 1000's of ducks along the way. The highlight yesterday was a male Northern Pintail and a male Shoveler in Embayment D. I went out to see if I could re-find the Purple Sandpiper but no sign of it. However there were over a dozen Trumpeter Swans in the Bays. The resident Trumpeter family was on the other side so I think there may well be over 20 of these handsome birds out there now as I have seen them for the past several weekends. Only 2 had tags.
