Very wet

My 07:30 visit was not as wet as later, but featured very little, c100 Swallow over the landfill, 1 Little Egret and 3 Teal on Tern scrape.

Late afternoon the rain was rather steady so I lingered around the sailing club car park, eventually finding a Spotted Flycatcher with a small group of tits and warblers in the garden parallel to the car park, nearest to the golf course. An adult Hobby went over NE and a lone Swift was over BSL with 150-200+ Swallow, House Martin and a few Sand Martin.

Year List predictions

I found I had not even put Spotted Flycatcher on the list, so I didn't need to remove it, which is a bit slack actually, as it has been seen 5 consecutive years and at least 8 other years in late August since records began. They bred on DP until 1982.

I also feel it was overlooked in numerous years from the late eighties and to be frank, the Loddon and most of the rest of the park is not covered well enough to establish if more come thru ....and they probably do despite the terrible decline nationwide.

So we are about out of time for Wood Warbler and probably Ringed Plover too, but this coming week is Whinchat, Redstart and Whimbrel week, so good coverage is essential.

Not bad for a work party

I was at DP main centre and seeing another late Swift, plus about 100 House Martin, then a Mistle Thrush was in a big willow of the High Chimney's garden.

Meanwhile 3 Spotted Flycatcher were along the back hedgerow of the car park field, of which I saw one when meeting the other volunteers, a Grey Wagtail also went over.

At LFGP 2 of 3 Wheatear were on show, later a Little Egret was on the shingle island.

All in all not bad considering I wasn't birding.

Spotted Flycatcher

Yesterday I missed the Spotted Flycatcher, having to settle for 2 Swift instead, today I was out at 07:15 and hoping for Yellow Wagtail, with no joy.

I had 3 Whitethroat, 5 Swift, 1 Grey Wagtail and after some time and a second loop of the car park field, I found my own Spotted Flycatcher, on the big Hawthorn. But after a few minutes a dog walker walked between me and the bird and it flushed away to the Poplars and could not be relocated.

I waited around for Brian to return, but no sign still and then a Hobby went over NE, just my 7th this year.

Waiting for it to start

I keep saying passage will get going proper any day, but no Yellow Wagtails yet still, an adult Hobby went over the car park low NW at 10:43 and a couple of Whitethroat were on the Hawthorn on the edge of the landfill, but little else worth mentioning.

Unprecedented Mistle Thrush count

I was not around today, but Brian sent a text saying he had 18 Mistle Thrush on the landfill, a record by a country mile. The only other big count was of 13 on 1997, with most high counts not exceeding 3 in any years, although 6 on 29th 2011, was also notable.

I am compiling a list of escapees, just for fun really, after my good friend AJ told me yesterday that he too had a Ringed Teal in 1984, this time a male 9th & 10th Oct.

The Dunlin remains on LFGP and another Wheatear on the landfill.

My early evening update is that a juvenile Wheatear, was on the vents visible from the bottom of the car park field, but from right of where we normally view from. Also looking over towards the far landfill, left of the farm itself, at least 4 of the Mistle Thrush were visible, suggesting the whole flock was still present.

Linnet

Shame to have to highlight such a species, but due to its scarcity, a single Linnet went over myself and Brian in the car park SE 10:30, the first record since May, plenty of House Martins overhead. I wasn't out for a walk so that was it.