On arrival at the Grove entrance this
morning a Turtle Dove was purring from the Paddock side of the path but
remained unseen and, was the only one of the day. A Whitethroat was scratching
out a song as I walked the path to the Ramp with Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler
and Sedge Warblers all making more of a noise than yesterday. In front of the
Ramp was almost dead although there were 6 Tufted Ducks and a Grey Heron but no
Waders at all today, the female Garganey was still in the left hand corner. A
Male Marsh Harrier passed along the back fields and a Little Egret was in the
right hand pool and a Sand Martin was perched on a reed top in between me and
the Egret. Feast hide was still birdless save a Grey Heron and a Common Tern
and Harrison’s hide was even quieter but, n sooner had I entered a flock of 16
Redshanks flew past and I watched fly towards then drop onto the Water Meadows.
I made my way quickly to the Water Meadows hoping it would be full of Waders
passing singing Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaff on the way. On arrival
at the Water Meadows it was evident that there had been a small fall with 3
summer plumage Black-tailed Godwits present as well as the 16 Redshank and 3
Dunlin, 5 Greenshank, 36 Lapwing, 8 Green Sandpipers and 1 Wood Sandpiper.
Whilst here I also saw another 6 Marsh Harriers including the 3 juveniles and 3
adult males, 10 Pied Wagtails (only one was an adult), 1 Canada Goose, 40 Teal,
2 more Grey Herons and 2 flyover Swifts.
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| Marsh Harrier juvenile |
 |
| Marsh Harrier juvenile |
After an hour I moved on to the Lake
but the hoped for Terns etc were not present, just 4 Common Terns and a large
gathering of hirrundines over Collard’s. Walking along the Lampen Wall and
through the Alder Wood 2 Water Rails screamed out, 4 Jays were seen as well as
2 Green Woodpeckers and a few Bearded Tits heard.
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| Jay |
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| Mallard duckling |
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| Reed Warbler |
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| Reed Warbler |
Very little else was added
for the rest of the journey except a Hobby when back along Harrison’s. After
some time on the Ramp I went back to the Water Meadows but most of the Waders
had shipped out except the Sandpipers and Redshanks, a single Black-tailed
Skimmer allowed a few photos and while taking its picture Brendan came by. We
chatted and birded for about an hour and a flock of at least 80 Black-headed
Gulls alighted from the cut fields south of the Marsh hide path with most lying
towards us and amongst these Brendan got on to a summer plumaged Mediterranean
Gull.
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| Black-tailed Skimmer |
 |
| adult Mediterranean Gull |
The only addition at Restharrow on the way home was a Common Sandpiper
and the Corn Bunting was showing well on the roadside fence posts.
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| Corn Bunting |
As I
pulled into my drive when I got home I had the good fortune to see a Spitfire
and a Hurricane displaying over my house before they flew inland, superb
aircrafts.
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| Hurricane over my house |
 |
| Spitfire over my house |
 |
| Spitfire over my house |
