Perhaps of greatest note is the successful breeding of Avocets at Collingham for only the second time (the first time being around 7 or 8 years ago, but I'd have to check). Two chicks suddenly appeared on the Silt Lagoon on the 12th, when they already looked a couple of days old. Quite where they bred, I don't know; an adult had been coming to feed on the Silt Lagoon, but I'd assumed this was one of the birds from Langford. Given the regularity with which I see Mr Fox on the Silt Lagoon, my guess is that the Avocets bred in the new workings (which has no public access), and walked the young over to the Silt Lagoon when they were big enough. However they managed it, the young are now pretty large and clearly doing well.
Other bits and pieces have included a Marsh Harrier through Meering on the 19th, although less good news from this site was the vanishing of the two nesting Common Terns - presumably the eggs/young were predated. Better news here was a female Tufty with 6 ducklings - an infrequent breeder in these parts, whilst one of the GC Grebe pairs at Mons Pool finally hatched two chicks, after previously being flooded out. Another pair seems to be on their third attempt nesting. Nearby, a pair of Grey Partridges have three chicks at Besthorpe Meadow.
Away from the patch, Swifts seem to be having an excellent year locally, with some big groups over William Street in the evenings (upwards of 40 birds), whilst a stroll out one night indicated that every street in my part of Newark had Swifts screeching above. A 'drive through' survey down the High Street in Collingham one night logged at least 70 Swifts, whilst at least 60 House Martins were over Besthorpe Village earlier in the week, with active nests on the chapel.
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