Chiddy was asleep in his car
when I arrived at 5.30 this morning but a quick blast of Pink Floyd soon
brought him round and after a brief catch up we made headway for the Ramp to
the ever ascending dawn chorus to be joined by Alan a short while later. A Woodcock
flew over as we put on our boots and from the Ramp in the morning’s gloomy
cloud and fog filled sky with early drizzle we noted 1 Barn Owl, 2 Shelduck a
trickle of Marsh Harriers that eventually reached 8, the first of 4 Cetti’s
Warblers becoming more vocal the first of 2 Bitterns, the second bird with Mr A at Reedbed hide and just 16 Mute Swans out. There were 4 Water Rail
around the reserve, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Redshank, 1000+ Lapwings, 5
Dunlin, 2 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons.
There were 3 Tufted Duck from the Ramp, 7 at Feast hide and a further 5
on the lake at Stodmarsh. The Oxbow held 92 Wigeon while the Water Meadows had
just a handful of Teal although a flock of Waders flew north over us containing
16 Golden Plovers and a single Ruff. The Lake at Stodmarsh was very quiet and
the 5 Tufties aside there were 39 Pochards 2 Great-crested Grebes and 3 Great
Black-backed Gulls (1 adult and 2 1st winters). Meeting Steve Ashton
on the board walk by the Alder Wood where there was no sign of the Penduline
Tit we headed for Reedbed hide for breakfast. Sue Morton saw a ringtail Hen Harrier
enroute to Marsh hide and 3 Siskins in the Alder Wood and Alan, Chiddy and I watched
at least 23 Snipe and 24+ Water Pipits from Marsh hide as we passed through
where we also added another 60 Wigeon and the only Kestrel of the day. The three of us met up with
Sue at the Ramp where there was nothing new to add but on leaving the wet
fields beside the road at the Grove entrance had a small feeding party of birds
that included 11 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Dunnock and 1 Meadow Pipit.
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| White Wagtail |
During the week after I’d finished work I noticed the imprint of a Pigeon/Dove
on my bedroom window and managed a half decent photo. Any who may be interested
in the GT6 restoration , I have now started a second separate blog about it
here http://triumphgt61968restoration.blogspot.co.uk/
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| Ghost of a Pigeon/Dove |
