The Great Flood.........

Strange old day, expected to see quite a bit along the track but saw nothing apart from a few robins. On the marsh were Little Egret, Canada’s, Greylag, Curlew, Lapwing a pair of GBB Gull flew in. The Flood was nothing compared to the new lake formerly Wildfowlers' Pools! Plenty on here, wish I'd had more time, Shovelers, Tufted, Teal, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Moorhen, Mallard, Coot, gulls, Merlin, Kestrel and up to 40 Pied Wagtails. A Buzzard was near Freeman’s Pool.

Steve

Eureka

With the exception of the bluethroat a few years ago, one of the areas of the patch which has always underperformed is the railway cutting. A spotted flycatcher was in the bushes here today along with about a dozen goldcrest beteween the cutting and Stodday. I love these little warblers and their high numbers may indicate that they have had a good breeding season in northern Britain. My only hope is that the weather quietens down to allow some Scandinavian birds to reach us and bring some eastern warblers with them. 6 chiffchaff, 40 goldfinch, a kestrel and 40 swallows were in the same stretch.

I've just come back from a holiday in Corsica where I confirmed what I suspected about the main factor which assisted collared doves to colonise northwestern Europe. I was told "on ne peut pas les manger" when I remarked to a local that they were very common in the villages.

Guy

Agreeable Grebes...

9am. A wonderful sunny morning, almost forgotten what they’re like! Had a stroll for an hour, Freeman’s Pool Little Grebe 8, a couple of Shoveler, Gadwall, Grey Heron, a few more Coot than of late. Still quite a number of swallows around but nothing like the numbers of the other day. Also of note up to 9 Robin seen, a 2 Linnet heading SE. The Flood was occupied by 40 Lapwing and usual Moorhen. On the Marsh 6 Little Egret. Saw 3 Chiffchaff silently flitting through the bushes.

Steve

two for one.......

11am. Big tide today, and blustery with it. A common sandpiper flew down river. On the marsh were wheatear 4, little egret 4, merlin 1, lapwing 900. A kestrel and sparrowhawk hunting near the track. Wildfowlers' Pool little egret and 9 teal. A flock of 16 linnet and 4 pied wagtail near the riding school. Throughout the patch swallows were gathering, hard to say how many, hundreds. Chiffchaffs heard. Flock 0f 90 goldfinch near pylons.

Message from Dan this aft, 12 shoveler on freeman’s pool. A whimbrel and 2 migrant hawkers present.

Steve

Not alot..........

Good to have an hour birding today down the parish. Plenty of Swallows around, over pools and the flood. Freeman's Pool still quiet, Little Grebe, Grey Heron. Nothing to speak of on the track, a Teal on the Wildfowlers' Pool. On the marsh were 4 Little Egrets. Wish I had more to report! At Admiralty Wood a Common Buzzard, I have seen this bird here over the past couple of weeks.
Steve