Fog on the pits

 Always going to be tough work

Fieldfare at the hedgerows

Pophills Pit

Thick fog greeted me on arrival on Sunday at the Gravel Pits and matters got worst when a jogger flushed every bird on the Pophills Pit except for a few Coot. Not the best start. After watching a Goldcrest at close quarters I set off with Jon on the reverse of our normal circuit hoping the fog would clear by the time we reached the main pit. 

A Grey Wagtail whizzed over our heads and there were good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare along the east border. Passing the first lagoon the wintering Common Sandpiper took flight away from us. With plenty of time on our hands we walked through the main meadow where we found 20 Snipe and one Jack Snipe.

A pair of Shoveller were on the small pit where the Cormorant roost. Four Cormorant took flight as we passed. 

We then walked to a strip of woodland on the south end of the pits. There were a flock of 15 Goldfinches and then we picked up my first patch Treecreeper ! A real find for us. It was good to see this little bird go about its daily business. Leaving the woodland we flushed another 15 Snipe, one Jack Snipe as two Roe Deer crossed the meadow in front of us. 

Finally reaching the main pit it was good to see the female Scaup was still present among the Tufted Ducks and Pochard. Hopefully the weather will be better next weekend and I can report a more comprehensive species count.