Morons!

I began my day at Upper Benefield from where I took my usual walk towards Deenethorpe and Deene. As is so often the case around here a small flock of Tree Sparrows provided an early highlight with about fifteen birds in the hedges near the village. A flock of thirty or so Lapwings had four Golden Plovers for company while another, larger flock of sixty or so Lapwings were feeding in a field close to Burn Coppice.

Big skies near Deenethorpe.

A walk down to the barns produced little of note though greatly reduced numbers of both Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges suggest that the shooting season has begun in earnest. Still a lot of Fieldfares in particular feeding in the fields with just a few Redwings for company. Two seperate Sparrowhawks were a nice addition to the usual Buzzards and Red Kites though the smaller passerines were probably not so happy to see them. Several calls from overhead led to the discovery of a large flock of Golden Plovers, about seventy or so, flying eastwards.

Deene Lake.

Things stayed rather quiet until Deene churchyard where I hoped the Yew trees may have attracted a certain species of finch. Sadly although they were attracting thrushes of five species the finches did not appear. I'm beginning to think some sort of mass hallucination is taking place or perhaps it's a massive stringathon!

Hawfinch free zone at Deene.

Gadwalls were the commonest species on the main lake where a Shelduck and three Pochards were new additions to the usual crowd. The water level at the inflow was high which meant that the wader count was reduced to two Snipes as Teals took over the WBT.

New additions to the scene at Deenethorpe Airfield.

A stiff breeze was blowing at the airfield though I could still hear Skylarks singing during one of the sunnier spells. The rest of the walk was largely uneventful, Bears Lane had lost most of its birds with only a Kestrel to provide any interest.

Red Kite.

Now anyone that has read either my blog or its Birdforum predecessor will know that I'm prone to an occasional rant. Generally I direct them towards selfish or thoughtless people whose actions or lack of action can spoil the countryside for others. Whether it's shouty cyclists, dog owners that don't pick poochy's poop up or drivers that feel an inch is sufficient room when passing a walker I've vented at them all at one point or another.  This blog is a swear free zone but that restriction is sorely tested by the moronic and criminal behaviour of fly-tippers. Dumping rubbish in what are often rather nice places must surely mark you out as a moron of the lowest order, anyone caught doing it should be buried under a pile of their own trash. Two piles of junk at the end of Bears Lane were particularly galling as it's within sight of Weldon tip but I better stop now before my blood pressure hits the roof.

Blight at Bears Lane, the work of brain dead criminals. 

Weldon churchyard was as free of imaginary finches as Deene was and a Grey Wagtail was the last bird seen today. Very little other nature seen today though a Muntjac was heard barking near Burn Coppice.