Colour-ringed Little Egret

With only a half day at work today, I cruised home via Kilvington Lakes. There wasn't a huge amount there, although the West Lake held a pair of Egyptian Geese, two Ringed Plovers, and a single Oystercatcher, with a pair of Goosander on the East Lake. A kick round the 'Snipe Ponds' produced one Common Snipe, but no Jacks.

I popped home briefly, and had a superb Peregrine over the house - the first I've ever seen in Newark itself - before heading to Spalford Warren. There's been a Mealy Redpoll seen here on the feeders recently, but I could only find two Lesser Redpolls.

A quick drive along Trent Lane at Girton to scan in the hope of an early hirundine was fruitless, so Collingham Pits was next; there was little on the Main Pit, but 2 Little Egrets were on the Silt Lagoon; one of these was colour-ringed, with a yellow ring on its right leg marked 'V' and an orange ring on its left leg marked 'U'. This format was used on a number of birds that turned up here last summer, which had been ringed as nestlings that spring near North Sommercotes in Lincolnshire, so this was presumably one of these birds; however, I'll hopefully be able to confirm this.

Colour-ringed Little Egret at Collingham Pits

Mons Pool was quieter than last visit, although there was a gang of 10 Redshank and a Curlew, and another 2 Little Egrets, plus a very confiding Kestrel.

Kestrel at Mons Pool