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.