Farewell 2018...a stunning year for me

From 1st Jan 2018, it was ace, Hawfinch being the top bird of the entire winter, way overshadowing the rare sight of wintering Stonechat, not to mention normally tricky first day species like GreyWagtail, Kingfisher, Coal Tit, Barn Owl and Bittern.

The Goosander, Brambling, Peregrine and Woodcock by the 13th Jan, then the joy of finding another Brent Goose 6th Feb, Jack Snipe 24th, Med 28th.

But then there was lovely little surprise waiting for John and I on that snowy 1st March dawn, 3 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 7 at LFL later and Pintail thrown in too. A Golden Plover on the deck at Sandford was rare in itself on the 3rd, Black-necked Grebe trumped that later that morning.

My 8th Merlin, a male perched on the landfill for 5 minutes on 17th was pretty special.

The sequence of Wheatear, Arctic Tern, Little Gull, then yet another Great White Egret find for me on 9th April, kept spirits very high.

28th April was another dash for gold, with the first Wood Warbler in a generation, only seen by 6-7 people. The 2 Whimbrel on the deck at LFL on 30th, was wonderful to share with good friends.

You cannot take for granted species like Ringed Plover, Garganey, Black Tern, Greenshank, Red Crested Pochard, or Black-tailed Godwit, but they all showed up in our hottest of long hot summers, Linnet, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and Yellow Wagtail kept me guessing and working hard, but it all came good.

12th Sept the game went up a notch, Pied Flycatcher being unheard of in autumn before, then up another notch 24th Oct with my second self found Yellow-Browed Warbler, staying 10 days.

A last ditch Curlew helped the wader count 29th Oct, AND oh boy was I lucky to be in the car returning from a shopping trip when Steve Day put out the news of Grey Phalarope at Tern scrape, I got there with 24 seconds spare before it left.

AND that should have been it, all my luck used up, but NO, one more gem in the form of 4 Common Crane graced the skies as they drifted over East during the work party.

Farewell 2018, bring it on 2019 I can't wait to see what treasures await us.

A definite OMG year

It has gotten beyond all my expectations and I am amazed at just how incredible the year has panned out. Yellow-browed Warbler was awesome, Grey Phalarope was outstanding and lucky I was close enough to get there in time, not forgetting Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, but today surely this was the last gift of 2018!?

Mid work party and I have no good reason to look West into the sky...but I did and my eyes were met with 4 very large birds moving North behind the remaining Poplar and right, focusing and my brain caught up....with my autopilot ID checking suddenly screaming "they're bloody Cranes, 4 Common Crane, where are my bins?" Scrambling through the undergrowth still shouting "Common Cranes, 4 Common Cranes" there these little beauties drifted majestically across our skies, just 200-250 feet up, then veering East but almost certainly dropping as they got just east of Twyford, so probably Waltham StLawrence, White Waltham area.

And I even got this record shot with my phone....bliss seeing therm in context beyond our infamous Oak tree.

I'd lost count, this is my 204th species for my patch, 138 this year, equaling 2012.

Still riding the crest

I have been enjoying so much luck lately and I'm happy to say it still hasn't ended, Friday afternoon I came down to enjoy the late afternoon sun and head off to WSL, but on arrival the Yellow-browed Warbler was showing beautifully, close and in full view at it's favourite tree....It's not been seen since.

Then 07:30 Sunday morning I was out at Sandford again, when something told me to look up and my eyes were met with a fast moving raptor, before lifting my bins I thought Peregrine, but when I got in it, it was way too small and compact.... a Merlin moving very fast in from the North at about 250 feet, it arced over me and headed West over toward Bader Way and gone.

I had to look it up, it was my ninth and all of them since autumn 2009, my second this year with first being the male perched on the landfill 17th March.

I'm hoping to catch up with a white faced Athya, but instinct and research says it's just a Tufted Duck, but I'm going to keep looking for anything more I can add.

Even if I add nothing I can say this year is up there with the best.

A 31 year wait is over

Driving back from Asda with my wife and my phone chirps the LWT bird news tone, I ask Emi to read it..."Phalarope next to bund Tern scrape, Steve Day"..........."Phalarope, what now?" I say. "call him, call him for me now". He says on loudspeaker "Yes it's still showing but getting grief from Black-headed Gulls!"

We are going by the Good Companions pub and had turned left already and now a very quick right down Fosters Lane took us down to near Just Tiles and on toward DP. We followed the slowest idiot in Berkshire down Sandford Lane and finally I pull up by the constantly locked Lavell's car park gate.

I then sprint to Bittern hide, bursting in Steve says "it's still here"

Quickly looking through his bins my eyes fall upon the somewhat distant but nonetheless blatant Grey Phalarope beyond the far end of the bund, at which point my body is bathed in warmth, joy, relief and pain with my whole diaphragm heaving in and out as I try and speak amid the gasps to catch my breath.

It's been a long wait for me, I was away when the famous 1987 October Hurricane hit, the two unrepeated megas have haunted me since, October 16th : 2 Grey Phalarope on BSL for one hour
October 17th : 1 Sabine's Gull on BSL.

But now after 31 years and 16 days, I got to see Grey Phalarope, even if it was just for 15, possibly 20 seconds, I saw it. Sadly them darn Black-headed Gulls chased it off and I was sad when I saw it leave over the Emm Brook and vanish behind the Oak, but not emerge the other side.

Blimey we've been unlucky in the last 2 years along, the Billingbear bird 2017 and 3 at Theale this year and I know numerous have been seen over the last 31 years, just not at Dinton.

My 203rd species, 137th this year. Here's to Steve's picture of this little stunner

New records?

Yesterday's Curlew got me thinking and looking in to old records. Plus I missed off Nick's Firecrest from the totals and Jo Taylor managed to squeeze a Yellow-legged Gull in on BSL without telling any of us 3 days ago.

So the park is on 141, just one away from the record - 142 set in 2012 and repeated just last year. But believe it or not, 141 was the old record set in 1983, the next biggest year list was 139 in 1984. This is the sixth year since 2011 we've hit 140 or more.

Can we get one more for the park to equal and one more to pass it?

The evidence suggests anything is possible, the species list seen before in November and December is quite impressive. I'll colour code it, black being occurred, blue being most likely of the list due to frequency beyond 4-5 records;

Red-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Shag
Bewick's Swan
Whooper Swan
Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose
Scaup
Kittiwake
Caspian Gull
Short-eared Owl
Little Owl
Bearded Tit
Yellowhammer

Obviously birds are unpredictable, so I'd like to think we have a chance at least of a first for the park like;

Great Northern Diver
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Dartford Warbler

And again long awaited one off's from the 80's like;

Red-throated Diver
Long-tailed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser

He's hoping for an exciting end to the year and being available to see whatever it is.

7 days later

I saw the Yellow-browed briefly on Saturday, but had little time and with the work party the next day, followed by family commitments, I've had no further chances.

During the work party a group of c70+ Fieldfare went NW, a Green Sandpiper flew over.

Well saying that I went yesterday to help my good friend AJ, but could not stay before it showed again, there was a Chiffchaff lurking too, Water Rail calling nearby. Right on school pick up Trevor called to bring my attention to Roger's picture of a Curlew at Lea Farm Lake. "Aaaaargh, I'm on my way" I said deserting my wife, running home with the shopping and heading there.

Barely 20 minutes later and I'm watching a fairly comfortable looking at a lovely Curlew on the East bank slightly back beyond the track. A Peregrine was chased by Lapwing and headed off East, a female Goldeneye was my first this autumn.

Until this morning, so I arrived early and had a stab for Great White Egret, first at Teal scrape, then John joined me for Lea Farm Lake - we now call it 'Lake' instead of G.P. so now I'll be using 'LFL' as the acronym.

4 Little Egrets went over towards DP, a Peregrine over low and landed in the big Alder in the NW corner, no Curlew though. A smattering of Shoveler, Teal and the same female Goldeneye.

Back down to Sandford and it wasn't long before the Yellow-browed Warbler was calling loudly above our heads in the usual Willow.

what can I say

An obvious lack of blog posts doesn't mean I haven't been out....I haven't been out much and had little time to blog about it.

But then Wednesday that all changed, I could have made late night slot to report on it, but with the little darling re-appearing today I tried to grab a shot.

So Wednesday 24th October, I arrived in the West lay-by Sandford side, by the yellow gate, moments before I'd debated in my mind if I'd do the car park field for a late stab at a flyover Ring Ouzel, but opted for a Sandford check for ducks.

As I reached down to tie up the laces on walking boots, a Yellow-browed Warbler called loudly and was clearly not 70 feet away. This amused me a great deal, having worked my but off 5 years ago trying to find my first. And now my second didn't wait for me to get my jacket on.

It continued called nearby and I'd barely got poor views of it in the Willow by the Oak nearest to the lay-by, before I put calls out to a few regulars then pushed out the 'mega' WhatsApp message. Brian arrived and after just a few minutes of anxiety it began calling again, then showed in full view for a minute in a Hawthorn by the dead Alders up the path slightly.

It kept others waiting, before vanishing until Derek arrived and heard it over by Sandford Copse. here it got more mobile and then returned to it's original Willow.

Today it was back - obviously never left in fact, but today I got precious records shots unparalleled in birding circles....

Autumn Pied Fly

Against any likelihood, I was excited to hear from Brian telling me a Pied Flycatcher was seen by Andy Merrick at the North end of Mortimer's Meadow.

Many of our more recent members and users of WhatsApp might well be wondering where the hell 'Mortimer's' is. It's immediately West of the Loddon parallel with White Swan Lake and The Bader Way to the West, it was once devoid of vegetation and no doubt ancient flood meadow.

For just 2 years 1983 and 1984 it was heaven, Dinton had it ploughed and in February and early March was the time to check it, Rock Pipit, Water Pipit, Wheatear, Redshank, Little-ringed Plover & Ringed Plover. It was darn good for Whinchat in the autumn too.

Sadly WBC had it landscaped, drainage seams dug in and planted tons of trees. Then millions of dog walkers came and all in all, we gave up watching the area, my last Whinchat's there were 7th Sept 2002, Brian finding them 3 day earlier.

So back to modern times, Andy Merrick found the juvenile Pied Flycatcher at the Northern end of the meadow in a copse out in the middle and it also had a Spotted Flycatcher in there too.

It occurred to me that with cattle grazing and so much hedgerow and scrub, we should spend more time there looking for Redstart and with so much dead wood I'd bet we've already missed Wryneck in there...it's a big area, but Andy proved if you keep checking stuff turns up.

This places me on 134, my fourth highest year total. No sign of Curlew, Redstart, Little Owl and various other bits that could show up.

Little by little

Almost by grinding it out I've arrived at 133 for 2018, equal to 2013 and 2011, but already 3 past 2015's rather sad 130. Linnet on the 30th was good in that getting one helped, but sad that they are so hard to get now. Spotted Flycatcher was good, seeing 3 even better. 2 Whinchat on 31st was very nice, rubbish not finding my own though. And then finally a Yellow Wagtail 5th Sept, another 7th.

Today a lovely little Pintail on BSL was a bit of a surprise, more so because BSL is not often the lake of choice for said species, at least not to set down.

Today's interesting sight was a Kingfisher performing unseen behaviour for me, it left it's perch and dived in the water as it flew fast over Lavell's, it emerged quickly and kept going continuing to dive and 3-4 more times as it headed off up the lake West. I've never seen this and considering I heard another calling, can only assume it was a display or courtship manoeuvre.

What is next? Well we haven't given up hope of Redstart, but it is looking like no cows grazing the car park field means no Redstart, I'll keep looking though.

Big raptors, Marsh Harrier and Osprey both possible all month, just need to be there when it happens.

Then it's wild card stuff Rock Pipit October, rare warbler?, Yellow-legged Gull, a late wader, Firecrest, White-fronted Goose, Scaup...all possible, even a Bearded Tit (I prefer this name) that stays around on weekends.

I would love to see that much overdue Great Northern Diver and Ring-necked Duck, but not necessarily the same day.

imminent glory

This morning felt perfect, looked perfect, but did not deliver.

Sure it was cool, but so still, high clouds, sunny, perfect for Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, but it was not to be.

Okay the year's first Linnet tried to convince me it was a Whinchat and I was pleased to add it, but basically nothing was going on.

Luckily later on Steve found Spotted Flycatcher along the old faithful Western backwater of Sandford, so 2 year ticks on one seemingly quiet day was pretty okay.

I'll try to do better

I've gotten into lazy habits from a blog perspective at least, family and work life is demanding and the latter is not often done at sociable hours.

So where do we pick up, today would be as good as any, a fine bright morning after overnight rain and boy was it cooler, 8 degrees versus the 18 of 2 days ago is quite a shock to the system.

As soon as I arrived at the car park I could tell more warblers were about and as per usual the bulk were crammed around the 'big Hawthorn'. Over the next 2 hours or so, Trevor and I proved we were looking at 4 Lesser Whitethroat, which is more than any of us have ever seen at DP ever. Brian joined us in time to see all 4.

With 'the flock' was 2 Garden, one of which was seen to display to and try to mount a female Blackcap, which was not exactly resisted and the Garden went on displaying by flickering it's wings for several more moments, the Blackcap staying close. Weird and interesting stuff.

In all about 15 Blackcap were seen, 1-2 Chiffchaff nearby but not in this flock. Over at the balancing pool, 4-5 Reed Warbler were mobile and a Willow Warbler kept company. My hopes of Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and in fact anything on the landfill were left wanting.

A scan of BSL led only to 30-50 House Martin, with the odd Sand and Swallow.

On the 21st I had a nice afternoon visit to Sandford, resulting in 58 Gadwall, 5 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 1 Common Sandpiper and an adult Common Gull. I thought the gull was unusual, and it would have been had it not become fairly regular, but only since 2009, it looks like this;

Aug 21st 2018
Aug 8th 2015
Aug 3rd & 4th 2013
Aug 31st 2012
Aug 5th 2011
Aug 2nd 2009

We did have July birds in 2007, 2003 & 2002 and before that 1990, otherwise no reports or no-one cared either way.

Wigeon dropped in 6th August and must be staying low and drifting back and forth from Twyford pits. No Pintail so far, 1 Pochard 14th (PSc).

Snipe 16th July (D Dolan), then me 23rd, along the much exposed mud in front of Lavell's main island reed bed, then 6th on Tern scrape.

Oh did I mention that we've had the driest spell ever and water levels are lower than I've ever seen them. Everyone knows this now, but in years to come I hope this fact will be a hazy memory and benefit from pictures I'll try to post soon. Below is back in July before it got really dried out.

July excitement

Well let's not go overboard, but it is always nice to get a year tick in every month, but actually near impossible to achieve.

But July does bring some almost predictable possibilities and I am not going to pass up on a flock of 8 Black-tailed Godwit, well not on purpose.

Said birds were not around early Saturday morning 14th, 4 Green Sandpiper, Barn Owl and Little Grebe were keeping me entertained at LFGP at 06:30 and the Kingfisher was again on it's perch.

It's worth a record shot of the LFGP and Lavell's since we've not seen the water level so low since creating these lovely shallows and refreshed habitats. I've included the fencing shot as we will have new fencing in a few weeks and it's always good to have before and after records.

My shots from that week include said the Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret and Green Sandpiper, a juvenile Stonechat - very uncommon July species.

Happy....I wish

So, I have to mention the sad fact that it looks to be true that 2 Common Crane flew over DP on Thursday afternoon. I am gutted for my own perspective, happy for the DP list, as they were probably tickable when 2 passed to the West 6th May 2012, but were seen above Bowsey Hill early afternoon, therefore possibly visible from the bottom of the car park field...oh well.

I hadn't reviewed May...92 species, not exactly pants, but 10 shy of the 2017 record, 4 short of 2012 & 2016, 1 short of 2011 & 2008, so fourth equal with 2007, 14, 15 & 16.

Now jump to June, 91 equal 2nd with 2016 and 1 less than last year. Okay I 'assume present' Mandarin, Kestrel, Tawny Owl, Nightingale, Mistle Thrush & Lesser Whitethroat, which are not unfair assumptions in my opinion.

The year is =2nd place for June 30th, again with 2017, 2 behind 2012, but before we've even entered July, 132 is new third place for 31st July total. If we get Black-tailed Godwit, maybe one other wader, say Wood Sandpiper, a Yellow-legged Gull, Linnet and Little Owl, that would be a new record, one past the 2012 high of 136...for end of July.

I hope my ramblings make sense to some people, it remains amazing to me that the boundaries of what is possible month to month can be surpassed.

Like buses

Back out very early today and immediately rewarded and it's often about when you're out often, you notice small changes....

Scanning Lea Farm G.P. along the North spit at 05:35 I noticed 3 small ducks, checking with bins it was easy to see they were probably Teal, but upon scoping one was an obvious female/eclipse Garganey, the first this year.

I love Garganey, here are my 250+m record shots

Also still present, 2 LRP, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 1 Hobby over fast, 2 Skylark on hay bales.

A month between year ticks

Another lie in today after yesterday's very early trip down to LFGP....Very nice conditions first thing, 2 LRP chasing each other about, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, a few Lapwing, 1 Little Egret. At Sandford the Gadwall numbers keep rising, 30 now, plus 2 Shoveler, a family of Tufted Duck.

Kingfisher at Lavell's trying out the new posts in the wet meadow.

So, today Brian called with more news from Sandford, "Red Crested Pochard on old Tern island". An hour later I was watching it, a month on from my last year tick and it is not often one gets a new bird in June.

I'm level with 2017 now, and to use another good year, it was 5th August 2012 before I hit 127.

The SW corner looks great and I am hopeful we will pull in a 'new' wader or two over the next month, in order of likeliness, Black-tailed Godwit and Wood Sandpiper, not that either are certain to show up. But if we get the right conditions and luck, maybe a Turnstone, an early Curlew, or Little Stint?

Not forgetting other species to look out for, Yellow-legged Gulls are arriving in the UK pretty much now, Garganey are moving too and I'll never forget finding 5 on 23rd July 2000 at Lavell's. Also Black-necked Grebe start showing up at Staines in July so we could always have one drop en route.

I'll be listening for that all elusive first Linnet going over and a Yellow Wagtail is certain, just I may have to wait until August.

June flat line or fab time?

Here we are in the heart of the breeding season and I still visit Lea Farm most mornings around 06:30, the highlights are not what many might consider exciting, 2 LRP's, 5 Lapwing, Gadwall, 2 Little Egret.....Cuckoo still, which I guess is getting late for an adult.

So is it actually worth getting out of bed, unless you're doing a breeding bird survey, possibly not. But as I am sure I've said before June can throw out the odd very pleasant surprise.

1981 : 13th Black Tern
1983 : 18th was my first big surprise and it was a whopper, 9 Little Terns over WSL, then Sandford mobbed by Common Tern and away East at 07:00. Same day Garganey was seen on Sandford.
1984 : 6th a Curlew, 7th a Garganey, 13th a very late Wheatear, 21st a late Grasshopper Warbler, 26th Ringed Plover
1985 : 8th a Dunlin
1986 : A Tree Pipit over (dubious in my opinion)
1987 : 6th Red-legged Partridge, 23rd Tree Sparrow
1988 : 11th, 27th & 28th Black Tern
1989 : 11th Marsh Warbler, 13th Grasshopper Warbler, 19th Ringed Plover, 21st/22nd Ruff (the infamous and unknown LB), 22nd Snipe, 29th Greenshank
1990 : 14th Wood Sandpiper, 16th Black Tern,
1991 : 4th to 7th Common Scoter
1992 : 3rd Red-footed Falcon, 3rd Garganey, 7th Green Sandpiper,
1993 : 24th 3 Ringed Plover, 8th Green Sandpiper, 30th Yellow Wagtail
1994 : 12th Common Sandpiper, 14th Green Sandpiper,
1995 : 18th Ringed Plover, Teal 22nd & 24th, 13th Common Sandpiper,26th Green Sandpiper
1996 : 7th Willow Tit (Observer Unknown and therefore unconfirmed)
1997 : 15th Cuckoo, 16th Greenshank, 25th Green Sandpiper
1998 : 2nd Corn Bunting (Observer Unknown and therefore unconfirmed)
1999 : Various oddities, breeding Teal and Water Rail claimed, 26th Snipe & Green Sandpiper
2000 : 18th Green Sandpiper, 25th Dunlin,
2001 : 19th Teal
2002 : 6th Teal, 23rd Green Sandpiper, 30th Little Egret (1st June record)
2003 : 1st > Peregrine (1st summer records began) 6th Stonechat, 7th Bittern, 8th Pochard, 10th/12th Shelduck, 17th > Teal, 23rd Barn Owl began breeding
2004 : 11th/13th Ringed Plover, 12th > Green Sandpiper, 17th> Common Sandpiper
2005 : 1st Little Egret, 12th Black Tern, 19th> Green Sandpiper
2006 : 20th/21st Pochard, 29th Garganey
2007 : 3rd Teal, 3rd Honey Buzzard North over BSL (FJC - Record not submitted to BBRC), 4th last ever Spotted Flycatcher record in June, 6th > Common Gull, 26th Peregrine
2008 : 27th Teal,
2009 : 3rd Shoveler, 10th & 25th Little Egret, 11th Green Sandpiper
2010 : 7th Ring-necked Parakeet (began breeding locally), 11th/22nd/29th Little Egret, 14th Teal, 25th Wigeon, 30th Ringed Plover, 27th Green Sandpiper
2011 : 12th Shoveler, 28th Black-tailed Godwit,
2012 : 1st Dunlin, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (last ever breeding), 4th Yellow-legged Gull, 7th & 21st Common Gull, 18th Green Sandpiper, 23rd Common Sandpiper, 20th Quail
2013 : 23rd Common Sandpiper
2014 : 5th Red Crested Pochard, 22nd Pochard
2015 : 4th Water Rail, 4th Ringed Plover
2016 : 11th Green Sandpiper, 17th Common Sandpiper, 21st Water Rail, 23rd Raven,
2017 : 4th Raven, 17th Mediterranean Gull, 23rd Green Sandpiper, 24th Common Sandpiper

Over the last 5-7 years the frequency of Teal, Shoveler, Pochard, Little Egret and Parakeets has gone up to the point where it is less common we don't get the odd bird.

Happy birding

Does a good start mean anything?

Since my last post and I can only apologize for the infrequency of my posts these days, some more additions have popped up.

Little-ringed Plover went on to set up home here, not breeding so far, but we (FOLL) have made a good start on allowing that to happen next year by putting shingle across the island in front of the hide.

Little else of note occurred, warblers like Sedge, Whitethroat & Lesser Whitethroat in short supply for most of the time, Whitethroat now looking better in the last week.

Cuckoo still calling as of yesterday (27th), but it was a late Ringed Plover found by Marek & Brian that had me dashing back, post my usual early morning routine on the 21st.

Then all quiet again until Geoff texted to say 'Black Tern LFGP' yesterday, again post my early morning visit. Upon arrival one bird was patrolling up and down surface feeding, but decided to land on bouy near to the recently launched raft and it was at that point, we realised there were two. These were joined by a third after I left.

Today there was thick fog after a very stormy night for the second night in a row, luckily the rain missed us and went well East over Bucks. Only one day 2 days ago have I seen more than 15 Swift, with 80-100 over BSL early morning.

So I am on 126 for 2018, faced with the usual suspects to get and in some kind of date order hope, or expectancy they look like this:

Linnet
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Owl
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow Wagtail
Osprey
Marsh Harrier
Whinchat
Spotted Flycatcher
Redstart
Garganey

To go past my all time year lists would require all these and more, but a few good possibles might yet be in the mix;

Sandwich Tern
Rock Pipit
Red-crested Pochard
Curlew
Wood Sandpiper
Turnstone
Spotted Redshank
Bar-tailed Godwit
Scaup
Common Scoter
Firecrest
Crossbill

And if we look over just the last 6 years, we have had mega's in 5 out of 6 years, so I am up for a stunning bonus like a Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, White-fronted Goose, or even....before all that a Red-footed Falcon, or Marsh Warbler and why not strong Easterlies for days and days...good luck folks.

My title to this post is there because this year is a high hitting start and on par with 2017 and whilst 2017 was excellent - 137 and equal 2nd place with 2014, fell 1 short of the 138 record in 2012. In 2012 I didn't get Green Sandpiper until 5th August, but as we say in bird racing, they are all only worth 1 at the end of the day....enjoy your birding.

Are we done

A few more additions, a Hobby distantly over the far end of BSL, then overhead at the DAC on my birthday (1st.

Then Brian was out before me on the 5th to hear the Greenshank coming in from the North, I was near Teal hide when I looked at my phone to find his missed call at 06:08 due to my not taking it off silent from overnight.

By 06:18 I was looking at it, then so was Jack 5 minutes after that at, then it got harassed by a Black-headed Gull and was away towards Lavell's, staying for about an hour and half according to our Jenny.

And finally, after much avoidance tactics on their behalf a pair of Little-ringed Plover were at Tern scrape bund looking all loved up.

The Whitethroat population has not got above 3-4 still, Willow Warblers have gone thru with no records on DP in May so far. The Oystercatcher is sitting in a wisely high location at Sandford, but not that high given the flood potential. The Mandarin are resident on BSl, but not nesting as things stand.

The sunrises at Lea Farm are pretty nice, especially if you like thick mist and dew covered cobwebs.

In answer to my last question...

Yes, it can get even better.

Much has happened since 9th April, a slow trickle of migrants, all arriving later than the norm for the last 10+ years, kept me waiting for something good on one of my early morning pre work visits.

Then the 28th...the dawn chorus and we were already back into very cold and wet start, sure 3+2 Common Sandpiper was nice, but little else happened to brighten my day.

Luckily new local birder Jo Taylor was vigilant and heard a song he was not expecting over West of Sandford, on further investigation at the weir by Heron's Water, he confirmed the first Wood Warbler since 1992. Just 6 of us in total got to see it before it flew over the river and was never seen again.

Let me reveal the confusing story of Wood Warbler records;

1982 : Aug:1/1st, reported via ROC newsletter (OU)

1983 : Aug:1/12th North Sandford near Loddon for 3 mins 7.20am (FJC & DF), seen again 13th (Mike Collins & Kevin Templeman)

1984 : May:1/17th singing (RC), July:1/13th (MC & KT)

1992 : Apr:1/21st singing just off park (PA et al), then another 23rd (MJ Hallam), May:1/3rd Sandford (Patrick Crowley)

1998: Apr:1/22nd Middle Marsh (Patrick Crowley)

2003 : April:1/25th Lavell's (K Creed), Aug:1/9th (John Tilbrook)

As I often say this is my blog, so I can air my opinions, which are the following;

1982 : Fine

1983 : Fine

1984 : Unsure, but probably fine for both records

1992 : April 21st certainly fine, 23rd fine, no idea about the May bird

1998 : No idea

2003 : April, good date but dubious. August, no idea, supposedly okay.

This morning, I found not 1 but 2 Whimbrel on the East shore of LFGP and unusually they stuck around, rather liking the long grass to feed and hide, even returning after a flush or two from crows.

Can it get any better

I was doing family stuff yesterday afternoon when Brian called in with 2 Little Gulls at BSL, but it didn't take me long to get there and enjoy the little beauties flying up and down the East side.

I even managed a class pic of one of them....

But today at 06:51 Marek had just joined me at the sailing club for the first time in about 6 months before work and I looked up and said "is that Egret as big as it looks"? Sure enough it was a Great White Egret, my 5th, Marek's 1st.

I think Marek's shot is better