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| A Grey Heron at Mill Pond this morning |
With few birds left to target on my patch, I've been branching out slightly during the last 10 days or so, looking for scarce and declining birds locally. My previous post mentioned Turtle Doves - I've still yet to find one, and more recently I've been searching for raptors and, last Thursday at least, Wood Warbler, having learnt they attempted to breed at a site I thought they'd long left, last year. I also took part in the Mole Valley Bird Race on Saturday, a shattering but rewarding effort in an area largely unknown to me. Our team came out on top with a fantastic 93 species, and I look forward to next years event.
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| The view from Allden's Hill |
On the patch, I finally caught up with
Spotted Flycatcher today, with a bird singing and feeding at Mill Pond in the morning, before another 2 were heard near Phillimore Cottage around lunch time. I suspect they bred at the latter site last year, and fingers crossed they do so again today. Elsewhere, there was little of note, on a largely quiet day. Raptor numbers are down somewhat, though I remain hopeful of something special (Honey Buzzard), after my Montagu's joy earlier in May. Generally it seems stuff is settling down to breed now, and I found a new
Little Grebe nest today, which was a nice surprise.
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| Little Grebe |
On Monday an nonseasonal pair of
Gadwall were on Mill Pond, and unfortunately the
Mute Swans, yet again, are off the nest. Despite much success in the years gone by they seem determined to have the nest attached to land, and I suspect a Fox has interfered, as was likely last year. Maybe they'll try again, but I'm not hopeful. Also on Monday, a
Common Tern flew west over the Ridge. Only my second patch record, I suspect they are flying out to feed from Enton/Marsh Farm, and this individual as certainly going in that direction.
