Bank Holiday Monday and I wasn’t going to go to the Centre today. I had, however, a really nasty day at work where not much went according to plan and I got extremely wound up. A few hours in the quiet, watching birds, would soon help me to unwind!
By the time that I reached the centre, the crowds (the reason I didn’t want to go in the first place) were beginning to thin out nicely. Having arrived at about a half past three I had about two and a half hours to enjoy. Funnily, just the thought of going had started to help me unwind! To add to the pleasure, a day that had started out quite dismally had now turned out to be quite sunny and warm.
I wouldn’t have had time to go to all of the hides today so I made my way through ‘Waterlife’ towards the ‘Wader Scrape’ hide, stopping only briefly at ‘Dulverton’ and ‘WWF’. The water level was a little higher than it was yesterday and a slight breeze was forming little ripples on the surface. I was pleased to see that the Avocets were still around and noticed that some of the Little Ringed plovers seem to have started nesting on the pebble strewn islands.
I moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’, where there were quite a few people mostly intent on watching the Avocets. I spent most of my time here, scanning the whole of the site, and, when a seat became available watching the Avocets and the mating Redshanks.
As I was about to leave I spotted a Common Snipe. It was not in the usual cover of dry stems but, rather, amongst some low growing (about four inches high) stubby bits of vegetation. The bird was all but invisible! It took me some time to point the bird out to some of the, by now, last remaining observers. Some people could only make the bird out when the slight breeze ruffled a feather or two. Definitely a case of ‘less is more’!
A very short visit but, as usual, most enjoyable. I decided not to go to the ‘office’ but made my way directly home.
BIRDS SEEN: Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, House Martin, Sand Martin, Magpie, Reed Bunting, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Shoveller, Lapwing, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Kingfisher, Gadwall, Pochard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Ring Necked Parakeet, Willow Warbler, Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Long Tailed Tit, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Starling, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Avocet, Goldfinch, Heron, Pied Wagtail, Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, Great Crested Grebe, Teal, Wigeon, Greylag Goose, Ruddy Duck, Blackcap, Common Snipe
By the time that I reached the centre, the crowds (the reason I didn’t want to go in the first place) were beginning to thin out nicely. Having arrived at about a half past three I had about two and a half hours to enjoy. Funnily, just the thought of going had started to help me unwind! To add to the pleasure, a day that had started out quite dismally had now turned out to be quite sunny and warm.
I wouldn’t have had time to go to all of the hides today so I made my way through ‘Waterlife’ towards the ‘Wader Scrape’ hide, stopping only briefly at ‘Dulverton’ and ‘WWF’. The water level was a little higher than it was yesterday and a slight breeze was forming little ripples on the surface. I was pleased to see that the Avocets were still around and noticed that some of the Little Ringed plovers seem to have started nesting on the pebble strewn islands.
I moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’, where there were quite a few people mostly intent on watching the Avocets. I spent most of my time here, scanning the whole of the site, and, when a seat became available watching the Avocets and the mating Redshanks.
As I was about to leave I spotted a Common Snipe. It was not in the usual cover of dry stems but, rather, amongst some low growing (about four inches high) stubby bits of vegetation. The bird was all but invisible! It took me some time to point the bird out to some of the, by now, last remaining observers. Some people could only make the bird out when the slight breeze ruffled a feather or two. Definitely a case of ‘less is more’!
A very short visit but, as usual, most enjoyable. I decided not to go to the ‘office’ but made my way directly home.
BIRDS SEEN: Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, House Martin, Sand Martin, Magpie, Reed Bunting, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Shoveller, Lapwing, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Kingfisher, Gadwall, Pochard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Ring Necked Parakeet, Willow Warbler, Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Long Tailed Tit, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Starling, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Avocet, Goldfinch, Heron, Pied Wagtail, Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, Great Crested Grebe, Teal, Wigeon, Greylag Goose, Ruddy Duck, Blackcap, Common Snipe
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