August 3rd 2010

Long before the crowds arrived Bob did a circuit of the pond while I ambled towards the valve tower and lucky enough to get the unusual sighting of a Red-legged Partridge inside the reservoir perimeter with one on hensborough bank while two other called from nearby fields. A hobby was hunting in the leam valley plus 2 Raven heading west and yesterdays 2 juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were joined by a third and four of today’s 7 Common Sandpipers were between the windsurfing area and inlet. A number of warblers were taking advantage of the small pool of water left in the inlet channel to bathe and drink and included Garden and Willow Warbler along with Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and family parties of Blue and Long-tailed Tits. Other birds seen were Buzzard, Yellowhammer, 6 Stock Dove, juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 17 Mute Swan and 3 Swift. Bob had the Egyptian Goose and female / immature Goosander.

Richard