Water Rails a plenty

A pleasant walk out to toft shallows with Bob and Keith in very inclement conditions produced long distant views of the Long-tailed Duck from farborough bank which is accelerating its moult. The scrape had at least 8 Snipe though only one was showing on my way back and plenty of Meadow Pipits (25) Fieldfare (50) and Redwing (100) in the same area.

Toft shallows had 3 Water Rail, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Treecreeper, 3 Siskin and a Great-spotted Woodpecker while on my walk back the wandering Great-northern Diver returned to its favourite spot off farborough spit.

Other sightings included 7 Gadwall, 40 Wigeon, 5 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Raven, Peregrine Falcon, 75 Golden Plover over and Long-tailed Tit collecting nesting material.

Male Blackcap appeared briefly in my garden this afternoon.

one of 3 Water Rail seen today - by Bob Hazell

Long-tailed Tit by Bob Hazell