Dave was able to join me today despite debilitating backache. It was a warm, largely sunny morning with a light easterly breeze. We should have seen more than we did, but it was a fairly quiet one.
There were some good signs. Large numbers of hirundines circled high over the fields and we felt they were drifting south. We estimated 70 House Martins and 40 Swallows, but I suspect there were more than that.
It was nice to find the small group of Little Egrets were still present in the scrape field, although they were down to four birds.
Moving on to the flash field we counted 29 Lapwings, 21 Teal, and four Green Sandpipers (in the afternoon Mike Holley counted six). It was also nice to see a number of Chats perched on the tree guards on our return stroll. We established there were four Stonechats and two Whinchats.
Our most unexpected sighting was a drake Tufted Duck which flew in from the north, circled the area and returned the way it had come. (Mike H later saw a female on the Kingfisher Pool). These were the first here for months. We also had Kingfisher at both the scrape field and the Kingfisher Pool, so possibly two birds.
During the afternoon Mike Holley paid a visit and saw most of the birds we had seen with the addition of a Garden Warbler near Stapenhill Wood, and a Grey Wagtail.
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| Grey Wagtail per Mike Holley |
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