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.
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