Friday 11 March

Frustratingly, the fog appeared around 07.30 and was therefore completely set in when I arrived. I decided to take a circuitous route around the south end in order to try to time my arrival at the flash field to coincide with the lifting of the fog.

I was not surprised to see that the Redpoll field has been ploughed since my last visit, and as a consequence I saw no Redpolls all morning. However, I did discover a strip of game cover on the western edge of the south-westernmost field on the patch which had attracted 80 Linnets, 12 Chaffinches and about 30 Fieldfares.

At this time of the year I start hoping to observe newly arrived migrants. However, the wind direction until today has been largely northerly or easterly, so I struggled to find very much.

A Lapwing in the mist

The ploughed fields did at least attract plenty of Pied Wagtails, I counted 18 in total. A couple of Meadow Pipits were seen including one heading north-west. Overhead, 42 Redwings headed north-east.

The fog did indeed lift as I reached the flash field, but it only revealed 17 Teal, three Green Sandpipers, a Redshank, a few Lapwings, and 16 Snipe. The pool contained a pair of Tufted Ducks.

As I write this post, the sun is shining and a Small Tortoiseshell has just flown past the window. Warmer days are on the way.