It's now approaching mid April and I was hoping this evening's visit might gain me a year tick or two. A quick scan of the flash confirmed the presence of a Shelduck, but this was to prove to be the only new bird tonight. Mind you, the sun was shining so it was already a whole lot better than my last visit. Through the bins I could see that waders were present. They turned out to be a Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, and two Little Ringed Plovers. I could only count six Teal, and about 15 feisty Lapwings. A single Swallow was hunting insects in the lee of the hedge bordering the flash.
As I was leaving, a couple arrived hoping to see the Little Owl, but although I was able to direct them to the right tree, I had to admit that I hadn't seen it tonight. The walk back was enlivened by the presence of 11 dots jinking over a field adjacent to the pool. I eventually heard their calls and confirmed they were Meadow Pipits. In previous years there has been evidence to suggest that a few roost in the marsh at passage times, and I 'm sure these were intending to do that. Finally, a Peregrine took off from one of the masts and flew away over the ridge.
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| Shelduck |
It took me until 2010 to add Shelduck to the Morton Bagot list, but the following year a pair not only summered but also bred successfully. This year the water level is a lot lower than it was in April 2011, and although Mike saw one a few weeks ago, I would not have been surprised if that had been the only one this year. It will be interesting to see what happens next.
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