Not quite time for the bunting

                                                     Cuckoo

                                                  Cuckoo

          Saturday cricket is back - Gussy sending this into church yard for six

                                                    Cuckoo

                                                    Wheatear

                                                     Wren

                                        Two Common Sandpipers

                          Large Red Damselfly - always the first to emerge

                                                 Yellow Wagtail

                               Main pit showing worrying willow growth

Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks at the pits with our year list rising from 97 to a very reasonable 107. Most of our additions were predictable however two certainly were not. Those additions as follows Reed & Sedge Warbler, Hobby, Common Whitethroat (18/4), Redstart (19/4 singing male), Cuckoo (22/4), Swift (24/4), Sandwich Tern (22/4) & LITTLE BUNTING (25/4).

I've been going to the pits most days and but some days I just need a change of routine and bird somewhere I can't normally go before work. So I had a lovely day in south Worcestershire which was somewhat ruined when I got a call from Jon saying there was a mega at the pits. Typical !

Details of Jons news :

A LITTLE BUNTING - an adult in summer plumage, was flushed from long grass at the back of the main pit towards the end (nearest the old works) - it flew into the hedge and began calling "tick...tick". Really MEGA view of it on top (the best I've had of this bird, including in China, as they are usually quite skulky). It then dropped down into the hedge and I followed it north for about 10m or so, as it flitted around warbler style within it. I lost it when it moved down on the other side of the hedge and out of view - so could be feeding on the grass track on that side. As no one else had arrived by 1015 (and my phone battery dead - sorry) I walked back along the path but no sign, but could still be in the field margin on the other side.

We organised a small team to meet at 3.30pm where we had a good search for 2 hours without luck. We were all disappointed.

Also at the pits on Sunday (from 0735 onwards): 7 pairs of Little Grebe now, 7 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 17 Mute Swan and 2 nests, 13 Greylags, 20 Canada Geese, 3 pairs of Gadwall, 3 broods of Mallard out, 111 Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, 1 very pale adult Peregrine flew NW, 1 Oystercatcher flew over, 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plover, 5 LBB Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 male Cuckoo (showing well on ground at main pit), 5 Swifts, 70 Sand Martins, 50 Swallows, 70 House Martins, 1 Meadow Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 2 male Wheatears, 2 singing Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler heard at main pit, 7 Sedge Warbler, 14 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, lots of Common Whitethroat, 2 Ravens, 1 Siskin flew north and all the usual stuff.