Relaxing Sunday

 After a busy day yesterday it was a much more relaxed and quiet day for me and the dogs.  I started with an early morning wander around Blueberry and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise whilst being serenaded by Skylarks,  Blackcaps,  Chiffchaffs and Dunnocks to name but a few. There was no one else up and about so I felt as if I was their captive audience, not that I minded as the perfect way to start my day.  As I sat at the highest point of Blueberry enjoying the view and planning my day my thoughts were interrupted by the evocative call of a couple of Whimbrel which flew over and headed towards Pitsford Reservoir. 

I managed to fit in a visit to the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir.  Plenty of birds around especially Black Headed Gulls and Common Terns.  The noise from the gulls was quite deafening as they argued amongst each other for prime positions on the Tern rafts. They appear to have completely taken over the Tern rafts leaving nowhere for the Common Terns to nest. The Common Terns were sitting on the muddy shoreline as that was the only place available to them.  Also on the shoreline were 3 Bar Tailed Godwits,  a Sanderling,  Oystercatcher and 2 Common Sandpipers.  A nice surprise was a Black Tern at the mouth of the bay 

The only other birds of note today were a Hobby over the house this afternoon and I  came across a Spotted Flycatcher in the village whilst walking my old crocs. 

Kenny Cramer had an interesting ringing session at Linford Lake yesterday.  A modest 34 birds caught of 15 species and 15 new birds.   Reed Warblers were top of the list with 11 birds processed,  most of which were returning birds from the past couple of years.   Other warblers included 2 Sedge,  Cettis,  Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff,  one of which had been ringed as an adult back in 2018 making it at least 5 years old. Quite remarkable for a small delicate bird and I wonder how many miles it has flown during this time.                 Other birds of interest caught were a pair of Kingfishers,  a new Water Rail which was a surprise and the star bird , a smart male Cuckoo which was was the first for this year and the 23rd to be ringed at this site.

Regards Eleanor