Waders of the Lost Arc

With just 'half' cloud cover early this morning, it was always on the cards that the chill south west breeze would warm up as the sun rose higher in the sky, but it was a long time coming. Jacket zipped to the top, I wandered through the cemetery only to find c3 singing Goldcrests of note, but before reaching the concrete bridge at Radipole there was already a sign of what has become a scarce bird here. Waders in particular have suffered in recent years because of the artificially high water levels, and with the call of at least one Green Sandpiper overhead there seemed very little chance of it alighting. There were in fact c3, the first I have seen at the reserve for a couple of years or so, but despite a number of low passes and good coverage of the full length of the lake, with no mud it simply wasn't a place for them to stop over.

Further along there was a Little Grebe with c2 youngsters,

2 photographs being better than one, but the juveniles were determined to keep out of the picture.

There were also c7 Great Crested Grebes, one pair also showing off c2 youngsters, but other than that it was a Little Egret in flight, c2 Common Terns, a few Sand & House Martins with the Swifts being absent today. Onward to the Rodwell Trail which was similarly dismal with very little bird song at all except from the ubiquitous House Sparrows, a Dunnock of two and the odd Wren.

This Grey Squirrel, unusual there did put in an appearance, as did

a confiding Blackbird.

There are of course still plenty of wild flowers along the course of the old railway line, but this

Chicory is newly bloomed since I was last down this way.

The scene at Ferry Bridge was much as it had been on Tuesday, except I was able to get a little

closer to the Little Terns, this juvenile with parent being quite accommodating.

Finally, the young bird took off, and in both images the newly applied 'rings' can be seen.

Also 'ringed' was this young Mediterranean Gull

which was in company with about a dozen others, again in

various states and stages of plumage. However, what were new additions, for me at least, were c4

Turnstones mostly retaining at least some

summer plumage. There were also a few Dunlin and Sanderling, the regular pair of Oystercatchers, and

this Ringed Plover that obligingly allowed a shot or two.

Finally, I heard from Daragh later in the day that there had been Ruff, Wood Sandpiper and a Bittern at Lodmoor this morning. No need to ask where I'll be tomorrow!