Friday 12 June 2015

Friday June 12

So, back to the patch. Yesterday's excitement gave me a renewed enthusiasm for looking. If a rarity can turn up in the middle of nowhere at Cornets End, why not here?

A rather cloudy start, the temperature gradually warmed up leaving the day distinctly sultry by late morning. An early boost to the morale was the discovery that the Reed Warbler was not only present, but also showing quite well.


I later found that there were at least two present.

I decided to resume my censusing, walking along the road to Church Farm. Highlights were a calling Cuckoo, and a couple of Coal Tits.

Down at the flashes I discovered that the nearest was nearly dry, and the furthest was largely screened by long grass. It did contain two drake Teal though. Waders were represented by a Redshank and a Snipe. A Little Owl called, and showed quite well.


At the pool the water level is also lower, perhaps bringing the promise of waders when the return passage gets under way next month. For now it contained three adult Little Grebes.

Walking back to the car, I disturbed my first Painted Lady of the year.


At the dragonfly pools the water is continuing to evaporate away, and no dragonflies were visible. Perhaps they have failed to survive the drought. The damp mud was good for the House Martins industriously collecting it for their nests, and also exposed a number of mammalian footprints.

Badger tracks?
Brown Rat tracks?
I think I'll stick to birds.

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