So after a tuff game football (we won 3v2 for those that care), I decided to check out whitlingham. I walked down the path beside the little broad and picked up a Gull flying low across the water. Once I got a better view i identified it as a
Little gull. Not in summer plumage but more winter . Acting very 'tern ' like in it's eating behaviour as it dived for the food of the tips of the water, as they are known to do. I also saw a cracking
Mute Swan over the back ,among the reeds on it's beautifully crafted nest . A little further along i came to a
Coot on it's nest (breeding is in full swing!) I managed to avoid no end of dogs mess as I got to the top of the little broad (something that stops me coming here more regularly) and on doing so I heard not 1 but 2x
Sedge Warblers . I patiently waited for them to give there self up, and as i waited a
Chiff Chaff appeared beside me, repeating it's name over and over. A little longer and the pair of
Sedge Warblers came to the top of the reeds and were singing away. I love these birds and have fond memories of watching them at Strumpshaw a couple of years back when I first started to take up birdwatching . I stayed in this spot for 20 minutes just listening to these 2 species sing there hearts out ( and at one point i think i could hear a Reed Warbler briefly but not entirely sure so have check that next week)and as I left I saw the
Chiff Chaffs displaying to one another, very nice. A very noisey pair of
Egyptian Geese were starting trouble against another pair of
Egyptian Geese which was very entertaining. They were seperated by the fence that surrounds the Little Braod.
 |
| Seperated by the fence! |
A quick look at great broad and i was off to
Thorpe Marshes to check on the LPRs and if that Wheatear had stuck around( not likely on the later) . Matt had already been there a while and had picked up a
Whitethroat,
Black cap and
Chiff Chaffs. I made my way to the concrete platform and saw him heading towards me. We saw there were
2 x LPRs on the marsh and heard at least 2x
Cettis singing behind us as we walked further along. We then picked up a
Chiff Chaff and a singing
Willow Warbler from the trees over railway line. A year tick for me and nice bird to hear in the spring sunshine. We had 2x
Lapwings , 2x
Oystercatchers and 2x
Stock Doves over the Marsh and then 13x
Meadow Pipits overhead.As we made our way round to the bird screen hide we heard a Whitethroat and a very close male
Black cap in a bush on the pathway. On the scrape were
Tufted Ducks and
Stock Doves ( sunbathing) and I spotted 2 x
Teal hiding up under the marsh edge. A female
Reed Bunting was the last bird on the pathway back and as we crossed the bridge a cracking
Kestrel was hoovering along the railway line just in front of us . A nice few hours birding .
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