Ruffs

Warm, dry and sunny, NE3 - A much better day weather wise after a deluge of rain yesterday. This morning`s Ted walk commenced on the local patch at Lade where there was a noticeable increase in duck numbers across both lakes, including 265 Shovelers, 180 Teals, 60 Wigeons and four Pintails. A count of 22 Little Egrets was also of note along with two Great White Egrets, six Grey Herons, two Black-necked Grebes and two Common Sandpipers. Passerines were fewer than of late but did include several Yellow Wagtails grounded amongst numerous Meadow Pipits and Linnets, plus a scattering of Chiffchaffs in the bushes and plenty of hirundines over the water.

                                   Ruffs - Scotney sward

We then moved onto Scotney/Jury`s Gap checking the coastal fields for yesterdays Buff-breasted Sandpiper but without success. However, the moulting American Golden Plover remained in the stony field near the sand pit within a large and flighty Golden Plover flock; whilst there a straggle of nine Glossy Ibises flew through. At Scotney the front fields attracted up to 20 Ruffs across the sward, plus 50 Wigeons, 100 Lapwings, 10 Curlews, 10 Dunlins, two Redshanks, an Avocet and hundreds of feral geese. Also noted during the morning: several Marsh Harriers, Buzzards and Kestrels, 10 Little Egrets and a Common Sandpiper.