Keep missing Sand Martins

3 more Sand Martin went thru LFGP at 09:25, a while before I got there. 6 Fieldfare, many Buzzard & Red Kite displaying overhead. 1 Redshank, 5 Lapwing, c40 Wigeon and plenty of Black-headed Gulls pairing up.

Waiting for waders

LFGP in the morning rain produced nothing new, Oystercatcher still about and giving the Carrion Crows grief, which is very encouraging. 1 Redshank and 4 Goldeneye still. My hopes of LRP, Ringed Plover, or rather more hopefully a Rock Pipit, remain unfulfilled for now.

Sunny late lunch

An hour or so in the car park area provided 2 singing Chiffchaff, bringing my year list to 96 out of a possible 98 so far, with Ring-necked Parakeet over, Nuthatch calling briefly, 10 Redwing, 5 Buzzard, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker & 4 Jay. Tern scrape held 4 Snipe, 1 Little Egret and 30+ Shoveler.

First real migrant?

A Blackcap in subsong in the Blackthorn near the benches at Lavell's, is the first of the year, 98 for the park, 95 for me. The second earliest record, but no real way of knowing if it is a summer migrant, or a winter bird moving thru. Oh well I'll take it anyway. 2 Oystercatcher on Tern scrape, Redshank here and on LFGP, 1 Little Egret & 4 Goldeneye there too. Darn cold again this morning.

Cool, grey and pretty quiet

Up to 5 Oystercatcher still around 09:00, 8 Meadow Pipit over SE were the highlights, with no sign of the Brambling today. Last night at WSL and a brief visit to Tern scrape at 17:30 produced no Bittern at all, so maybe they have left already? And the Jack Snipe seen mid afternoon had hidden by the time I got there. A Chiffchaff was also reported 07:00 this morning, impossible to say if this is the wintering bird, or a migrant, no doubt it will be added to my year list any day now.

Warmish in the early afternoon sun

An hour or so in the car park in the sun, immediately after the mist and clouds cleared, produced good numbers of displaying Buzzard, at least 9 visible to N & E, a male Kestrel, 3-4 Red Kites and 2 Sparrowhawk were all the raptors, Nuthatch calling nearby, plus a single Lesser Redpoll and 2 Siskin over E.

Fog, but worth it

A brief visit to LFGP in the fog, was well worth the trip, with a female Brambling hanging around the feeders. Fairly predictable with friends reporting good numbers in the forests of East Berkshire, a tricky species to connect with at DP, so great to get another one back.