Spring is almost here...

This weekend's birding began on Friday afternoon with a quick patch visit; things there were much the same as they have been recently, with the 3 redhead Smew still present and correct on Ferry Lane Lake. 11 Whoopers in the field west of the Trent were the only other thing of note.

Saturday and I was up at half 5 to make the journey down to Stow-on-the-Wolds for the Blue Rock Thrush. I've been putting this off (for various reasons, including the doubts over the birds' origins), but with Spring rapidly approaching, now was the time to get it (for insurance purposes...). I soon found it perched up on a roof on Fisher Close, but after returning to my car for my camera, it had gone, and didn't reappear over the following 40 minutes. By then I had had enough of loitering in a housing estate with bins and camera and headed home, via the patch, where I had my first singing Chiffchaff of the year - always a joyous event.

Today, and my WeBS count at Girton produced at female Scaup on the A1133 Pit (which is looking increasingly like some sort of prison camp with the hideous fencing that now encircles the pit), and no fewer than 6 singing Chiffchaffs. A third check of Collingham for the weekend once again failed to produce any Sand Martins. 

Scaup