I dropped into the reserve this afternoon to see if the drake Garganey was still about. He was, but apart from a quick stretch of his legs, he remained asleep on the south bank at the North Viewing Screen Here. If memory serves me right this is the first male I have seen, all my others have been females.
Other highlights today were my first Wigeon since moving down here, a Siberian Chiffchaff which was in amongst the other Chiffchaffs along the loop path and 25 Black-tailed Godwits. Just the one Marsh Harrier seen today, a beautifully marked male quartering the reserve to the north.
In the foreground Black-tailed Godwits with a few just coming into summer plumage. At the back a drake Wigeon (left) and a Shoveler.
Here are few images
On the left 2 Teal, foreground a Coot and just stretching his legs the drake Garganey.....
...and here he is sat down again.
A very distant shot of a male Marsh Harrier.
A pair of Mute Swans.
And a magnificient looking adult Great Black-backed Gull.
Not the Siberian sadly but one of many Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaffs here.
Primroses my first for the year.
A patch of Red Dead-nettles (Lamium purpureum).....
......they really are red up close.
Birds recorded: 2 Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, 1 Garganey, 3 Wigeon, Teal, 8 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Coot, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.
Wakeham
Another very wet start to the day with heavy rain for most of the morning. On the feeders a male Chaffinch along with a pair of House Sparrows, Great Tit, Blue Tits and the female Blackcap again.
Another very wet start to the day with heavy rain for most of the morning. On the feeders a male Chaffinch along with a pair of House Sparrows, Great Tit, Blue Tits and the female Blackcap again.