Relaxed birding with a Little Ringed Plover

Common Sandpiper

Coot

Growing brood

Coot chicks

Always one

Grey Heron

Shelduck

Green Sandpiper

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Green Woodpecker

Common Terns

Photo-bomb by Common Sandpiper

The weekend patch birding was a chilled affair over both days. Saturday started well when a female Ruff took flight from behind the island on Pophills as I arrived. A Common Sandpiper was feeding on the island whilst a Hare was thinking he was camouflaged on one of the banks.

There are more Coot broods being born every day and a new nest looked to be doing well on the main pit. I’ve still been unable to locate any Tufted broods and the Gadwall appear to have thinned out in numbers. It’s look like our Oystercatcher pair finally gave up their own breeding attempts despite trying at three different locations.

A species that continues to do well is Green Woodpecker. A young family were exploring the tops of the old Little Owl Tree and the parents were continually flying backwards and forwards bringing food. Linnets, Goldfinches, Stock Doves were the only birds seen in the old workings as I had to shelter from a heavy shower. Raptors were once again restricted to Buzzards and Kestrels.

Both adult Shelducks were present however I didn’t see any ducklings. I hoping the presence of both adults signifies that the duckings were just taking cover. A bit worrying……

My best hirundinidae counts were 40 Swifts, 6 House Martin, 10 Swallow and a single Sand Martin.

As per last weekend two Common tern came in at around 11.00am and stayed for around 15 minutes before flying east.

Finally, a couple of shallow pools appeared which I sat down by to be rewarded by some fantastic views of one of the site Little Ringed Plover.