Sunday September 3

As forecast, the day dawned cloudy with a very light south-easterly breeze. However it went off-script mid-morning as the rain, just a light drizzle, arrived early.

The result of all this was a slight suppression of passerine migrant numbers, but we still managed three Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, and about six Chiffchaffs. Best of all was an immature Yellow Wagtail with the Pied Wagtails at the pool.

Yellow Wagtail

Also present on the puddle pool, were the Black-tailed Godwit and the Greenshank. They stood together for quite some time, but trying to get them to line up properly for their photograph was like posing naughty school children. One would stand still while the other preened, once it stopped doing that, the other one would be blinking or preening. These were my best efforts:

Pretty soon the Godwit flew to another pool and we carried on to the flash field.

The furthest flash was smothered in Greylag Geese (at least 86), while the nearest flash contained seven Green Sandpipers, 10 Common Snipe, and 16 Teal. Both the Black-tailed Godwit and the Greenshank put in brief appearances.

I'll say this about the flash pools, they may not attract a great turnover of waders, but the few that do find it during the autumn clearly value it because they stay for weeks.

The pseudo-woodland/hedge under which we sheltered to watch the waders also produced an owl. Dave flushed it as we approached and thought it may have been a Tawny. I was directly behind him and couldn't see past the cone of his umbrella, and so didn't see it at all.

About 50 Canada Geese landed on the newly created stubble field, while at least 70 House Martins and 30 Swallows hunted insects low over the fields.

There was no sign of the Great White Egret, which I am mentioning because Jim Winsper saw it along the River Alne near Wootton Wawen on Friday. So it's still in the area.