South Beds Badlands

On the local patch early morning saw the first Willow Warbler followed by Goshawk and Red Kite. The mist rose revealing the graceful Mute Swan.



News broke of the first Redstart seen in the paddocks at Blow's downs. Digiscoping would have secured a reasonable image, instead a rather distant record shot will have to do !



This Woodpigeon was feeding on freshly emerged leaves.



Elsewhere, a Firecrest was very active, but stood still long enough for this image, albeit in rather low light.



Just as active was this singing Marsh Tit.



This Meadow Pipit defied convention by posing in a tree.



Nuthatch

Norfolk Migrants

After a number of days of easterly winds, the east coast had good numbers of migrant warblers, chats and the odd rarity. Early rain showers put paid to photography at Waxham, and anyhow, the reported Semi-collared Flycatcher was not showing.

A few miles south at Winterton dunes, the light improved and it was fairly easy to get close to the birds by sitting down in the scrub and waiting. A male and female Common Redstart fed to within twenty feet.





This Pied Flycatcher was content to sit in the open.



The Wryneck was a no-show, and the Red-backed Shrike preferred its appreciative audience to keep to a respectful distance.

Black-tailed Godwit & Common Redstart

A very cold easterly wind today and a trip up country to see the flock of Black-tailed Godwit that have been present at Fenlake Meadows NR since the 13th Apr. There were 16 present this morning and were feeding constantly. No sign of the Stone Curlew at Tempsford, but nearby the Common Redstart at the end of Station Road was feeding from a hedge which gave some shelter from the wind.

Common Redstart

For the second successive year, a male Common Redstart was holding territory in a Greensand Ridge woodland.