Sunday March 3

Steady drizzle set in shortly after I got up and after studying the forecast I decided that it couldn't be relied upon to clear until late afternoon.

So at 15.00 I arrived at Church Farm, it was still raining, and set out to see what I could find. In fact I got my reward as soon as I reached the pool field. A pair of Tufted Ducks were occupying the small top pool.

Tufted Ducks

I arrived at the flash field to find a good spread of Lapwings and Starlings in the grass, and at least two Green Sandpipers on the nearest flash. The rain was finally abating and I realised I had left my scope in the car, so I opted to go and get it. On the walk back a Yellowhammer flew over calling. It's rather sad that this year the species is so scarce that this sighting was worth mentioning.

Back at the flash, scope now available, I discovered that a flock of large gulls had dropped in to bathe. They totalled at least 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and four Herring Gulls. They didn't stay long and I was left to see what else was present.  Joining the Green Sandpipers and 27 Lapwings, were 33 Mallard, 32 Teal, a drake Shoveler, three Snipe, and the pair of Shelducks.

Snipe

As I headed home the dusk gatherings of 175 Jackdaws, and 58 Redwings were something of a novelty as I am rarely here this late in the day.