Raining Ring Ouzels !!

 It certainly felt as if it was "raining Ring Ouzels " today in the county with at least 6 individual birds being recorded.   I visited Harrington Airfield early this morning and the long staying female Ring Ouzel was pecking around on the ground at bunker 2. I  believe that she became more elusive during the day but I have found that if you are just patient and give her space then she will show herself quite well. Sadly too many folk do not understand this concept. 

The second Ring Ouzel, a male,  was found in Miller's Meadow at Weston Mill and showed on and off during the afternoon and evening.                                                                 A further 3 Ring Ouzels were located at Honey Hill just south of the Jurassic Way bridleway. Two of this group were males.                                                                                     Ring Ouzel number 6 , another male was found by myself below Hanging Houghton this evening just before a heavy shower of rain which I'm sure was instrumental in the bird being grounded. The bird was certainly not there when I started my walk but was an hour later when I was hurrying back to miss the rain!!.                                                                    I always feel that the Ring Ouzel is a very underated bird, easily dismissed and overlooked by many.  But it rates as one of my favourite birds with a beautiful song. So much so that I named my young collie Rouzel. 

Plenty of other birds around today.  The Short Eared Owl was again at Harrington,  when I saw it this morning it was sitting in a bush enjoying the sunshine.   A male Common Redstart was again at Harrington Airfield, although this bird can be elusive and simply melts away into the bushes.  There was a noticeable increase in the number of Whitethroats at Harrington,  every bush seemed to have one.  There were up to 4 Northern Wheatears there this afternoon and a further 2 below Hanging Houghton.              A Common Redstart was at Borough Hill,  Whimbrel and Common Sandpipers at Stanford Reservoir. A White Stork was reported flying over Summer Leys at 12.10hrs but I don't think that it was seen again. Other birds at Summer Leys included Black Tailed Godwits,  Dunlin and Curlew.

Regards Eleanor 

Male Common Redstart
at Harrington Airfield 
courtesy of David Arden.