Saturday July 25

After steady drizzle all day yesterday, and with a similar forecast for Sunday, today seemed like my only window of opportunity to get some more birding done.

Rainfall is supposed to halt migration, leaving bewildered waders stuck in places they would rather not be. Like Morton Bagot? Sadly not.

After a good tramp round the most migranty birds I could find were five Sand Martins which flew back and forth over the furthest flash. There were at least five Green Sandpipers on the nearest flash, with another, perhaps different, on the pool.

It was a bit breezy, so most passerines were keeping their heads down, and there came a point when I felt I was in danger of having no photographs to exhibit. Fortunately a juvenile Green Woodpecker decided to land in front of me.

Green Woodpecker

Insects were slightly less prominent than usual, the weather being a little cool for July, but eventually I had a good view of a female/teneral (immature) Common Darter.

Common Darter

On my drive back home I got a text from Mike. He had found a Little Stint at Salford Priors gravel pit. So there you go, scarce migrant waders do turn up in bad weather, just not here.

Nice one Mike.