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.

Linnet!

I am so easy to please sometimes, with the first Linnet, a male flying over the car park field low SW. I left early to see a male Pheasant in my garden, a first for me on the garden list. I did miss another Sand Martin that went thru LFGP after I left this morning. Still my 99 for the year isn't bad. I also forgot to mention that Alan Rymer had what was almost certainly a Green Sandpiper on the old tern island 25th, which flew off when they rowed out to rewire the tern raft. The park is now on 104 for the year.

Bright, clear.....and nothing new

Late morning and a skywatch produced lots of Buzzards at all points of the compass around DP, at least 12, probably 15+, 1 with very white tail feathers at the base, also at least 9 red Kites and a displaying pair of Sparrowhawk. 2-3 Blackcap around car park, Nuthatch and a trickle of Meadow Pipit N/NW.

Blackcaps

A slight sign of migration, with Blackcap singing near Ron's hide, Heron's Water and by the wooden footbridge at Lavell's car park. Nuthatch singing again too. Sandford Oystercatchers asleep, 4 Pochard, but no sign of RCP's. Raptors - 6 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, lots of Kites. 5+ Meadow Pipit went NW.

RCP

A splendid pair of Red Crested Pochard are on Sandford Lake this afternoon, the first since July 25th 2010.

Still no new migrants

A fine sunny morning, but LFGP held no new birds, even the Goldeneye appear to have deserted. Still c50 Wigeon, 2 Redshank, 5 Snipe and a few Teal. At Lavell's the male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was drumming on the old Oak near Teal hide, before moving to the tall Poplars along the Northern edge of Sandford, where it was very vocal for 5 minutes. Later around lunchtime, the Nuthatch was again singing near the wooden footbridge by the car park, just 3 Buzzard and 4 Red Kite soared overhead.