A damp Bank Holiday

Friday saw us at the pond mid-morning meeting up with Dave, John, Martyn and Paul listening to stories of their recent holidays in Turkey and Latvia. Owls were at the top of the list with Dave seeing Ural Owl for the first time and Paul and Martyn making the sojourn to see Brown Fish Owl. Did no birding but the place was covered in Swifts. Had lunch at Brandon Marsh then went over to the nearby Brandon Woods railway bridge waiting for Tangmere to come through as she was being moved to Kidderminster but after 40 minutes we gave up to find out when we arrived home it had been cancelled.

Saturday started wet and got wetter though the conditions brought in a Turnstone along with 2 Dunlin, male Wheatear, 2 Common Tern and 1000s of Swift.

Sunday also started damp and cool after overnight rain and a blustery south wind which only produced Swifts at the pond. Once it warmed up with sun out we added Azure Damselfly to the year list at Nelson’s Wharf where a rather scruffy looking Red Kite flew over heading south east. Stockton Cutting had Large Red Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, a couple of Small Blue, 3 Treble-bar and our first of the year Common Spotted and Greater Butterfly Orchids in bloom.

Monday started dryer and brighter but did not last. Very little wind so our walk at the pond was pleasant but not very rewarding with just 3 Common Tern, Oystercatcher, Yellow Wagtail, 26 Mute Swan and 500+ Swifts. After breakfast we trawled the valley eventually finding 2 Spotted Flycatcher and 90+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls before the rain came.