Make that 3

Yesterday evening I got a call from Simon at Lodge Wood Lake, he had been checking fish stocks when in came an Osprey crashing in grabbing a fish and heading on to Lea Farm G.P.

He said he had seen people in there as he went by on the way, so it is likely someone was there, but no WhatsApp news followed. So that was year tick no. 3 I missed on the bank holiday weekend...nice.

This morning, like yesterday it was as quiet as it gets, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 18 Teal, 1 Wigeon, but 13 Mistle Thrush away from the sailing club East was nice.

It was also great to see my friend John again this morning and when I came back later for a late morning wander with my boy, I bumped into John W and Rick D as well. As I got back to my car around 13:00 a Hobby was circling overheard drifting East.

Chat passage

Out later again, 07:20 LFGP and nothing happening, so off to the car park field and a good call that was. On arrival Eddie was already scanning the landfill, in moments we picked up 1 Yellow Wagtail heard, then 4 seen heading SE. Moments after that Richard and Gill arrived as I picked up a chat like bird dropping out of view onto the same hedgerow left of the Oak.

Scanning from the balancing pool viewing spot I quickly picked not one, but 2 Whinchat together. They spent 35-45 minutes moving along the hedgerow nearer and settled on the larger of the two Hawthorn left of the pylon.

Still at quite a range they looked good thru scopes.

1 more Yellow Wagtail over heard only and it was time for me to go, Brian came and left too securing on his dip from yesterday. I passed Marek and knew Trevor was not far behind him and sure enough, within 20 minutes he was messaging saying Spotted Flycatcher in the same hedge, but no Whinchat, then moments after a Redstart in the same spot.

By the time I got there they hadn't been seen for 5-6 minutes and no further sightings over the next hour and half. What changed was 3 Wheatear were pitched up on the far landfill, 2 on the new posts and 1 on a vent.

WhatsApp seemed to let us down again by not broadcasting for over an hour after messages were sent. I'll be looking into this.But for now I am robbed of 2 year ticks that would have secured my 130th species for the 8th year straight. Maybe tomorrow eh?!

Repeat of 1st Sept 2013

Out slightly later at 07:00, LFGP was quiet, 12 Teal, 3 Little Egret but little else. Most of the Gadwall were on Lavell's 48 in fact.

A lovely bright morning, that felt like more should have been happening, then finally as I arrived at the bottom of the car park field, I got onto what on first impression looked like a Wheatear on the wires near the green barn. It dropped like a stone below, which got me thinking "not very Wheatear like". I pushed the news out and scanned.

Finding a male Whinchat in the top of an Elder, but it flicked right out of my scope view, I updated the news and scanned again, but no sign. At that moment a call from behind me stopped me dead in my tracks ..."Tuuu, Tuuu, Tuuu". Blimey just like the call of ?? years back. It called again as I scanned more for the Whinchat, then finding it out left on the Hawthorn 100+ metres left, allowing a record shot. The call occurred just once more further away and was gone.

Male Whinchat

Later after arriving home Brian called asking me if the Whinchat was still showing, it transpires WhatsApp had not delivered the messages until 09:06.

Bated breath

I've had virtually no time, or energy to get out, but managed a walk Weds and this morning.

Out 06:30 Weds at LFGP and it was nice to see our lake edge strimming had an immediate effect, 1 Green Sandpiper and at least 2 Snipe, the latter flying about too, about 8 Teal about, little else, but the GC Grebe have 2 young.

This morning I was in the hide by 06:00 and found thick fog, which never fails to annoy me. It looked like it was clearing, but then didn't. I did pick up 14 Teal, 1 Little Egret, about 100 Lapwing in the SW corner tells us waders can now stand there again. One duck that flew off I failed to get on until the last second before the fog enveloped it, did leave me suspecting it might have been an early Pintail, 7-8 Gadwall were mobile.

At Sandford 12 Shoveler, another 2 at BSL, Grey Wagtail on the DAC building, Nuthatch calling nearby, 20 more Gadwall were in Coot bay - near to Sandford, at Lavell's 30 more Gadwall, 1 Wigeon, 1 Water Rail calling from main island.

Nothing to speak of in the car park field, a distant raptor heading North was probably Peregrine, but no Redstart, Spot Fly or chats so far.

Back

Two mornings achieved, one failure this morning. It was a in some form a tiring holiday, but in the two days I got out added month ticks for the park in the form of Green & Common Sandpiper, Mistle Thrush, Peregrine & Ring-necked Parakeet.

Nuthatch are calling in various spots, notably large tit flocks around area, but not in car park field while I've been looking. No chats or Wheatear, no starts, no flycatchers, nor extra waders.

Still time and if I add anything it will be a rare year when all 8 months straight held year ticks, September should mean Stonechat and or/Pintail, so if a Brambling or better shows in October, then 10 months straight would be exceptional.

Nearly back

Family holidays are funny things and after 3 weeks I feel totally out of sorts and cannot wait to get back to patching.

Nothing to report and happy to see I missed nothing too.

Next up Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Pintail, Stonechat and hopefully a good wader too, water levels are not helping.