After that remarkable days birding at Brandon, documented in my previous post, things have certainly remained on the quiet side ever since with little in the way of migrants! That said I did receive a text from JR on Tuesday morning informing me of a juvenile Ruff on East Marsh Pool. Unfortunately I was celebrating mums 89th in Liverpool at the time and was unable to get the tick on what would have been another Brandon first.
Today, Thursday 10th I worked with the conservation team at Brandon where we finished the East Marsh Pool maintenance and I have to say that the pool is now looking in great shape. When I arrived in the early hours it was a chilly 4C and a heavy mist was lying across all the pool areas on a wonderful cloudless autumnal morning. Unfortunately, the only addition to the normal species on the pool were 3 Wigeon that had arrived during the night.
One surprise today I didn't pick up a single Swallow, Sand Martin or House Martin all day long, although they were still plentiful on Sunday's visit the last few days I have certainly witnessed a major passage over the marina. Other summer visitors like Chiffchaff's however were still in evidence as too were Reed Warbler and Whitethroat, our resident Cetti's Warbler's are also now in good song. Not long now either before we welcome back Siskin, Feildfare, Redwing, Redpoll and Bittern to the reserve, although last year Siskin had already arrived by now.
The much cooler conditions are now having a greater effect on the butterfly population and even though the weather today reached a balmy 22C I was only able to pick up 2 Comma (pictured), 1 Speckled Wood and several Whites.
I'm off to Spain on Sunday for a family visit but I'm going fully prepared for some birding which I hope to fit in at some stage over the 5-days. Then 2 days after I arrive back into the UK I'm off for my annual visit to France aboard a friends narrowboat to tour the French Canals for a wonderful week, this will definately be a birding opportunity.
