I woke before dawn, and decided a pre-breakfast birdwatch would be in order. This is getting to be a habit. My destination was Austy Wood on the south-eastern edge of the Circle.
As dawn approached, it became apparent that it would be a cloudy and breezy morning. Not ideal. I walked along a very muddy footpath from opposite Wootton Pool, up a steady slope until I reached the eastern edge of the wood.
Most of the wood is private, and managed for shooting. The only part in my Circle which is available is a tiny section visible from the footpath.
So a lot of effort, but there was a small reward. A weedy field just before I got to the woodland was alive with 150+ Chaffinches, plus two Bramblings and 20 Goldfinches. It's really satisfying to find a good finch flock. The wood itself was busy with birds but I saw nothing scarcer than a Marsh Tit.
Scroll forward to the post-breakfast element. I slogged around Morton Bagot, failing once again to locate a single Coal Tit (needed for my PWC2026 3k list). Eventually I reached the flash field with its obligatory Teal, Lapwings, Shelducks, and Mallard. A single Snipe looked like it would be the only added variety.
However, persistence paid off as a wader appeared from behind the sedge which largely obscures any shoreline on the nearest flash.
I've never been so pleased to see a Green Sandpiper, the first of the year.
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