Wheatears in the afternoon

Amid a hectic afternoon of work matters, visits to pick up mail and meet ups with antenatal friends, I got texts from Brian saying 2, then 4 Wheatear were on the landfill at Lea Farm. I finally got there at 17:05 with Brian, Trevor anf Geoff still on a pair, running around the track in line with behind the shingle island, always great to see spring Wheatear. It was clear from speaking to the others who visited earlier that they had not been present until late afternoon. Also present Little Ringed Plover and the pair of Garganey. Trevor had a Yellow Wagtail fly through his scope view whilst looking at a Buzzard, Geoff had 4, then 2 more Common Tern go thru.

Bright and cool

07:45 at LFGP produced a singing Willow Warbler on the other side of the Loddon half way to the green bridge, then 5 Sand Martin around the wall, 2 Oystercatcher flew in from DP, a lone Shoveler and Wigeon, 8 Teal and then a male Mandarin flew over low and kept going over Lodge Wood Lake (LWL). No sign of any Garganey, Redshank and no luck with any Sedge Warbler at Lavell's, but was happy with 2 Year ticks.

More Garganey?

Yesterday, LFGP turned up a pair of Garganey and we wondered if they were the same Redwood Lake pair, from my pictures, I suspect they are different, this female shows a break in the supercilium, a more marked loral spot, etc. They are still there today.

Migration

A very quick walk down to Ron's hide, didn't look so promising. I had heard a White fronted Goose was killed in the morning by a fox, so I came down to check it out. The corpse was too far away to say either way, but I did hear Ring-necked Parakeet, a lone Swallow went NW and just before I left a male Yellow Wagtail flew over the lake NNW at about 100 feet, calling. Very happy to add a year tick for the park and me of course with such little time on my hands.

Now a daddy

When we have a feeding and sleep pattern, I will be able to get out with at least some regularity, for short visits. I managed that on the 5th and caught up with Little-ringed Plover, 3 Oystercatcher flew over LFGP and 2 Swallows fed overhead, on what I am not sure, it was really rather cold. Still missing Sedge & Willow Warbler, House Martin and hoping another Med Gull shows up late April to make up for missing one on the 3rd.

A brief Swallow

A lone bird shot thru along the Loddon at 13:45, I wouldn't have seen it had I not been filling the feeders. The Oystercatchers on Sandford were clearly looking at nest locations on the higher of the islands. Richard texted me about his Merlin going thru North late morning, but I was nowhere near getting there a.m. today.

07:00 Sand Martin at last

A dawn visit and I finally got a Sand Martin, circling over the lake. Misty conditons meant I couldn't see much else, but a nice sunrise photo opportunity. 2 Oystercatcher flew over the car park from BSL around 8:00 and the Nutchatch was singing loudly as usual.