Waiting for waders

My WeBS count at Girton Pits was pretty quiet - indeed the A1133 Pit didn't have a single bird on it! However, there were 10 Oystercatchers on the Trent, a Little Egret on Spalford Pit, and a pair of Wigeon on the North Pit. I had previously recorded a male Wigeon here on my WeBS counts in June and April - I wonder if these birds attempted to breed?

Elsewhere, Mons Pool was deep under water again, with just a Little Egret of note, and nearby, Carlton Ferry Farm Pit held a Common Sand and a party of 4 Redshank, despite the lack of habitat - hopefully water levels here, and at Mons Pool, will drop as wader passage picks up.

It was a bit to breezy for looking for hairstreaks, but I had a go anyway; success came at Girton, where I found a Purple Hairstreak in the young oaks and ash planted along the northern shore of the A1133 Pit (a first for the site I think), but I couldn't find any White-letter Hairstreaks in a spot at Collingham which I've had my eye on for the last couple of years - but I'm sure they're there! Finally, I tried to locate the probable Silver-washed Fritillary I'd had at Langford yesterday, without luck, and only one Purple Hairstreak was in evidence, confirming it really wasn't a great day to be looking for them.

Comma at Langford Lowfields