Sunday August 12

This was an odd sort of visit. Dave was able to join me after a week working abroad, and he ended up with three patch year-ticks and I with one, and yet there didn't seem to be that much about. The first notable bird was a Sand Martin, the first this autumn, which flew over as we reached the main pool. The female Tufted Duck still had six ducklings, and behind her we spotted the second Little Grebe of the year. Finally, the Flashes contained my first Common Sandpiper of the year.


Common Sandpiper

It seems strange that while the site is knee deep in Green Sandpipers, nine today, it can be quite a struggle to record Common Sandpiper each year. Not enough water perhaps. Other waders present were a juvenile Dunlin, 77 Lapwings, and seven Common Snipe. The Teal numbers are up to 11, and there was an impressive 40 Starlings, and 50 Goldfinches. Where we fell short was finding passerine migrants. No Redstarts or Spotted Flycatchers, and just one Sedge Warbler, six Whitethroats, three Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps. We also met John Yardley, who has been away, and he told us he had seen a Reed Warbler.