27th August

Another walk down the river this morning, still two Greenshank present…

But only five Snipe today plus Curlew and a Common Sandpiper.

A group of nine Goosander were the first I’ve seen for a couple of months…

Other birds seen included two Kingfishers, two Buzzard, two Little Egret, three Teal and around 1000 BH gulls and 150 Herring Gulls.

Pick of the sightings though was a cracking dog Otter. I didn’t manage any decent pics…

But I did ring my wife and she was able to get down in time to see it. At long last her first Otter despite looking for them on Shetland, Hebrides etc!

25th August

Been a little while since I’ve posted, a combination of family holiday in Suffolk and, frankly, little to report but today I walked along the river downstream of Morton Bridge.

Highlights were three Greenshank, a very good count for the parish and my first new ‘tick’ since May…

Other waders included two distant Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, 50+ Lapwings and a good count of 18 Snipe all flushed from the river bank.

Two Little Egret were also on the river…

As well as three Grey Partridge and Kingfisher.

Elsewhere Paul Thompson photographed a Short-eared Owl sitting in a harvested wheat field near Ladyfield Farm last weekend and there were reports of a Red Kite near the river, undoubtedly the same bird that Andy Johnston reported in Scruton last week.

Away from birds I had nice views of Brown Hawker and Common Darter…

As well as my first Wall butterfly of the year…