Redshanks Return

A morning walk around one of my regular stomping grounds between the north and south bridges at Oundle in beautiful Springlike conditions proved to be enjoyable if not massively interesting. While waiting for my bus the usual melodic notes of the regular Song Thrush were all but drowned out by the far from melodic chacks and rattles of the resident Magpies. If the pair return to nest in one of my neighbours bushes then I may well have to invest in a gun!

Song Thrush and Greylags.

My walk along the Nene did not produce much apart from a few bachelor Mallards and several Greylag Geese until I got to Ashton Mill. A Chiffchaff was singing from trees near to the lock where a Grey Wagtail was feeding. The floodwater here had attracted four species of dabbling ducks of which a drake Shoveller was the most attractive. Continuing on my way I heard and saw both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the former in particular seem quite common around here.

Wrens seemed to be everywhere today.

Close to the A605 the floodwater had a large number of Wigeon grazing around its edges and there were many Teals of which most appeared to be sleeping. Good numbers of Shovellers were present but I couldn't find any Pintails amongst them. Last Spring a growing number of Redshanks were drawn to this area and today I found three, there were also nine Common Snipe and rather a lot of Lapwings. It will be interesting to see whether any other species pass through on migration.

One of today's Redshanks.

Barnwell CP had at least two more Chiffchaffs singing while both Marsh Tit and Nuthatch showed well from Lowlands Hide. Not much else here although I did glimpse a butterfly, not quite well enough to I.D it though, it's frustrating but no doubt there will be others.

Chiffchaff and Marsh Tit from Barnwell CP.