Friday April 8 - chilling

 In terms of #LocalBigYear ticks, yesterday's five minute scan trumped the three hour's field work I put in this morning.

So yesterday I figured out that I could park below the dam at Earlswood on my way to pick up my mum, and scan for hirundines. It was extremely chilly and windy, and sure enough three or four Swallows and a couple of Sand Martins were whizzing about at the far end of Engine Pool. Result ! The Swallow was year-tick number 98.

This morning I resumed my efforts to prove to myself that Mappleborough Green Flash was worth the effort. I tried coming in from the Studley Castle end. I was hoping there might be a gap in the thick hedge which might allow a better view. This approach did find a viewpoint, but it was further away. It added a Little Egret to the list (which wasn't there when I finally reached the western end).

Otherwise it was pretty much the same species, and the gloss of the new place is becoming a little tarnished. A big plus was a pair of Little Ringed Plovers which pitched in close to where I was standing and gave me a great photo opportunity.

Little Ringed Plover

Also visible from the footpath was the Green Sandpiper but my shot of that was distant and spoilt by the grid-like reflection of the fence it was feeding next to. A Willow Warbler sang rather hesitantly from the hedge, and a Blackcap also appeared.

Blackcap

A couple of Bullfinches and a Siskin flew over, boosting my locality list.

My next decision was flawed by inattention to detail. Neil D had posted another photo of one of the Garganeys at Norgrove Court. A chance to get a better shot I thought.

I parked in Crumpfield Lane and made my way to the pools, where the Garganeys were not present. I looked at the Tweet again and realised it was a couple of days old. Aah! Never mind, I did locate a pair of Little Grebes on the pool, and a flock of at least 56 Fieldfares and a Redwing on the walk down the lane.

It's still chilly today, though the wind has dropped. I saw no butterflies, but looking at the forecast, warmer days are approaching.