Dipped

Today felt like a good day to go birding, so I wasn't too surprised when I got a text at work from Matt W. He was watching a pair of Grey Partridges at Morton Bagot, and kindly supplied details of where they were. It sounded like I just had to turn up.

My journey home produced a bit of a mega bird as a Hobby flew over Winyates Green just north of Badgers Nursery. This could be my lucky day.

It wasn't.

I failed to find any Partridges other than Red-legged, and despite staying until well past dusk I couldn't convince myself that I could even hear Grey Partridge. That said, I probably did. It was just that each time I heard a "possible" it was too distant, or drowned out by other birds (and by a helicopter on one occasion) and was never followed up immediately by further calls. Still, its great to know that at least one pair is still around.

I did manage one year-tick, a Sedge Warbler was singing from the Netherstead reedbed. The Flash wasn't too bad either, containing a Curlew, a Little Ringed Plover, at least five Snipe, two summer-plumaged Black-headed Gulls, and then a late Green Sandpiper which flew in from high above me.

Green Sandpiper

Other snippets were six Redpolls which flew west, three Wheatears, three Chiffchaffs, and two Whitethroats. Notably absent were any Teal, Tufted Ducks, or Gadwall.