April 20th 2008

There was a fair bit of movement today at pond starting with the roosting Franklin's Gull 2nd summer leaving 06:50 with Common Gulls. The gloom turned to rain with 2 Brambling males still near inlet and 200 Swallows feeding low behind rainbow corner which were unsuccessfully attacked by a Merlin. Missed the Bar-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover that went over toft bay but eventually found the Turnstone on the raft, all three waders were found by members of Colin Potters class. Also seen were Common Terns 4, Yellow Wagtails 8, Blackcap 16, Willow Warbler 20+, Chiffchaff 4, Whitethroat, Treecreeper 2, Common Swift 2, Buzzard and Goldcrest 4 but I never got to grips with a possible female Ring Ousel in the 2nd field behind rainbow corner only showing twice in an hour and both times in drizzle and briefly. My visit finally ended with me missing the Artic Tern and Little Gull seen by Tim Marlow. In the Grandborough Vally I had 2 Fieldfare, hill rd, 4 Buzzards near grandborough fields and House Martin over Sawbridge. PATCH NEWS - Merlin, Common Tern, Common Sandpiper and Yellow Wagatil 4 Napton Reservoir, Ring Ousels 3 still at Napton on the Hill and Grey Partridge near Grandborough seen by the Bumbling Bears but I am wet, cold and hungry so save um for another day.

Richard