Friday 19 August

The dire weather forecast today suggested it might be time for a cunning plan. It was due to rain from 07.30 to 16.00 and I didn't fancy getting wet. However, once the rain had stopped, perhaps it will have left its mark in terms of dropping something in.

So at around 15.45 I was pulling off the drive when I got a text from Mike: Five Greenshank at Middle Spernal.  This is barely a mile from Morton Bagot and the first multiple occurrence there. Surely a sign.

As I walked towards the pool, I got another text: Now six Greenshank there. So as I finally surveyed the pool it was with some optimism. Nine Teal and a Green Sandpiper. Never mind there was still the Flash to come.

I started to scan. Five Green Sandpipers, seven Snipe, and 24 Teal. Mike phoned. What a day he was having, a large flock of Common Terns and Black Terns at Salford Prior GP, plus a Greenshank there. How was I doing? I toyed with the idea of saying there had been an influx of Teal, but settled for admitting it was just the same old stuff.

Fifteen minutes later, another sweep of the nearest flash produced the goods. A Garganey waddled out from behind the juncus on the near side of the the flash. This was the fourth record for the site and the first since a drake in June 2012.

Garganey

It was rather surprising to see it walking around on the mud, and although it did spend a little time on the wetter mud, it seemed to prefer the drier area. This unfortunately meant that it went missing for long periods because it was screened from view by long vegetation.

The small white patch between the rear flanks and the tail was puzzling, but I cannot find any evidence that any of the small ducks should show it, so I regard it as an example of slightly aberrant plumage.