Shovelers

RSPB Tower Pits - 0800hrs - mild, cloudy, light airs - With benign weather continuing, and even a glimpse of some blue sky, decided to have a good rummage around for some passerines this morning. The car park scrub at ARC was full of activity with a flock of 20 Tree and House Sparrows, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, 10 Blackbird, Song Thrush and Greenfinch. The walk down to the pines delivered more of the same plus 2 Chiffchaff, calling Water Rail and Cetti`s Warbler. At the pines more Blackbirds, 4 Chaffinch and 2 Goldfinch. We then walked around the back of Tower pits where Barney flushed 3 Snipe and a Reed Bunting. A large patch of Sea Buckthorn was alive with more Blackbirds, a few Song Thrushes, Linnets and a Chiffchaff. Two Marsh Harriers drifted over and a Sparrowhawk flew along the railway line. At least 5 different Great Spotted Woodpeckers noted plus 3 Greens.

                                Sea Buckthorn, Tower Pits

ARC - Around the margins a Great White Egret and 2 Grey Herons, while on the lake hundreds of wildfowl including 5 Goldeneye. Two more Chiffchaffs from the Willow Trail and the flock of tits from the car park. From Hanson a close Dabchick.

                                Dabchick, ARC

                                Grey Heron, Burrowes

Burrowes - Masses of wildfowl on the lake including 2 redhead Smew, Great White Egret and a Black-necked Grebe. A Shoveler count recorded a staggering 430, which must be bordering on numbers of national importance, and that`s just on Burrowes, what with another 100 over the road and 50 on Lade, plus others at Scotney and elsewhere there must be well over 600 locally.