Tuesday July 18 - Mostly still flogging the patch

 I've actually been out birding three times since I last posted anything. Friday was an Earlswood Lakes washout, and Sunday was a wind blown stroll around Morton Bagot with Dave. We confirmed the continued presence of the handful of waders (except for the Common Sandpiper) seen previously.

Today was a little bit better. For a start the farmer has released his cattle into the flash field and has put the strimmer into action so that it is now possible to see all the waders which are present on the nearest flash. Good man.

I counted nine Green Sandpipers, 25 Lapwings, three Teal, and a Little Ringed Plover. Also a pair of Avocets has returned. There was also unexpected evidence of passerine movement. A Reed Warbler was singing from the hedge adjacent to the nearest flash. There has been no evidence that they have bred here this year, so this bird had probably dispersed from elsewhere prior to commencing southward migration.

Avocets

The same thing happened last July. I'm guessing these are from Upton Warren, but I don't know really.

It's obviously the mowing season because the HOEF tractor was also being driven around, scything the grass in the field behind the pool field. This proved a draw for an opportunist Kestrel and also attracted the attention of the local Red Kite. 

Red Kite

I took the opportunity for a long-range snap as it waited for the activity to die down.

Sunday had been the better day for insects. Dave added Essex Skipper to his year-list, and we also noticed one or two Shaded Broad-bar moths on the wing. 

Essex Skipper

Shaded Broad-bar

If I'm honest though, it feels a bit like I'm treading water at present.

One bird I didn't see on Sunday was the White-tailed Eagle which was reported over Redditch while I was watching the Wimbledon Men's Final on the tele. Still, it will have been captive bred, probably like the Tundra Bean Goose which continues to hang around Arrow Valley Lake (but apparently is occasionally absent).