Across heath and field

On Thursday I had just over an hour at Budby Heath before a meeting in Edwinstowe, with thoughts of Great Grey Shrikes foremost in my mind. An hour is not long enough to have a proper look at the site, but I did manage to bag 12 Crossbills, which flew in from the NW and appeared to land in Seymour Grove, on the southern boundary of the heath, and a Woodlark which flew North. I had another look at Budby this morning, and with more time, I covered the site more comprehensively, but still no shrike; best were single Stonechat, 2 Ravens, 25 Fieldfare, and 10+ Lesser Redpoll. 

Yesterday, after a belated WeBS count at Girton (good numbers of wildfowl, but nothing of note), I visited Meering. There was a big flock of Golden Plover on the fields to the north, but having got about halfway through the flock, the 1000+ birds were flushed by dog walkers. They circled round for a good half an hour or so, refusing to resettle, before dispersing. I could only find a smaller flock of 380 birds on Smithy Marsh this afternoon; no AGP. 

I wrapped the weekend up at Collingham Pits, checking the gull roost. This was rather down on numbers, with c.260 LBBGs, plus 2 adult YL Gulls; best though was a drake Red-crested Pochard, my first of the year. This puts me on 137 species for Patchwork Challenge, now my record total, and with 2 months remaining. Tawny Owl is my only remaining 'banker', so I've got to hope for things like Caspian Gull and Jack Snipe to push me up to 140. 

A very 'hooded' LBBG

RCP