Saturday April 23

A bonus visit due to Lyn getting the opportunity to go shopping with her friend from Australia. Thank you Maureen, I took full advantage.

I normally avoid afternoon visits, so a 13.30 start seemed less than ideal. It was also a bit chilly, particularly when great cumulus clouds obscured the sun and allowed the north-westerly wind to bite.

Initially I found only a handful of Whitethroats which were reluctant to burst into song. However, as I approached the pool a distant call caught my attention, it called again, and was evidently a north-bound Yellow Wagtail. Frustratingly I couldn't actually see it, but as I scanned I picked up a distant Sand Martin with a few Swallows.

At the flash field I eventually saw two Sand Martins, and later one with Swallows and House Martins over the ploughed field. The flashes contained two Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, eight Teal, a Snipe, and a Little Ringed Plover. Sadly the Yellow Wagtail had not dropped in.

I headed back, scanning the ploughed field to discover four male Wheatears. A Buzzard flew over from the direction of Bannams Wood. It was followed a minute later by another raptor, this time a Red Kite.

Red Kite

This used to be a real rarity here, but in the last few years they have been annual. I suppose we have lost Tree Sparrows, but gained Red Kites.

Wheatear

As I was counting Wheatears in the ploughed field I noticed a distant chat which had me wondering. I switched to the scope and discovered it was a male Whinchat. I did photograph it, but it was rather distant. A Peregrine added to the raptor tally, and as I reached the dragonfly pool field another male Whinchat gave me a second chance for a photo.

Whinchat

What a stonker !