This weekend was the B.O.S. Long Day Count (see here) and Clive and I did SP44 today. We are lucky to have our local patch as part of this count and it helps knowing that we will pick up the bulk of and a good variety of species on the Grimsbury patch and also knowing what is likely to be seen or not seen so we can target other sites to pick up additional species.
We got off to a good start at the reservoir with two Common Sandpipers and a Yellow-legged Gull (3CY I think) and Herring Gull amongst a group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls loitering at the reservoir. Later it the day we realised there were actually quite a lot of Lesser Black-backs in the area with c.55-60 in the UCV cattle fields.
Up at the Borrow Pit Clive spotted a Whinchat and then I found a Wheatear along the flood alleviation bund. Mike Curnow later confirmed two Whinchat present and Kevin Heath had another Wheatear in the cattle field by the reservoir.
Two (or three?) Reed Warblers were new for the year with individuals heard in the field behind M&S, along the canal by the wood and at the Borrow Pit.
A couple of sightings of Hobby in the evening, half-heartedly chasing hirundines, topped of a good patch day.
Other notable sightings around the square were Peregrine, Spotted Flycatcher (2 locations) Tree Sparrow (our last local birds?!), Little Owl (my first local one for several years) and Little Ringed Plover.
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| Courtesy and copyright of Mike Curnow |
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| Above and below, courtesy and copyright of Kyle Smith |
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