☔️10C Tuesday 10th April 2018 ~ A thoroughly depressing day weather wise with drizzle and a nagging easterly wind to contend with once again. Spring seems to take one step forward and three steps back at the moment!
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| Water Pipit ~ Thanks to Theo de Clermont (the finder) for this image! |
I began at Draycote Water for an elusive
Water Pipit, which after following the bird along Farnborough Bank as far as the 'spit' I finally got a decent view of. Well, I say decent but it only lasted seconds as the bird suddenly took flight, heading off at height and then dropping back down onto the bank, almost landing on top of Bob Hazell's head who'd just arrived, or so it seemed! Still, no harm done as the bird was seen several times later in the day, once again by Theo, the finder. Just the one
Yellow Wagtail during my stay but plenty of Hirundines over the water, three
Goldeneye and a single
Little Egret.
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| Treecreeper ~ Horsetail Glade, Brandon |
When I arrived at Brandon Marsh it was as though someone had pressed the mute button! After a build-up of chorus over the previous week, there was little in the way of birdsong. However, by the time I left after lunch
Chiffchaff,
Willow Warbler,
Blackcap,
Cetti's Warbler,
Nuthatch,
Great Tit,
Wren and even
Treecreeper had all found thier voice. I also managed the complete set of winter visitors with
Redwing,
Fieldfare,
Siskin and
Lesser Redpoll all recorded.
No Terns on the pools today to cause confusion and waders were a little thin on the ground: (1)
Little-ringed Plover, (4)
Oystercatcher, (2)
Redshank and
Common Sandpiper.
Swallow,
Sand Martin and
House Martin were all recorded.
