Oh, Deer

 An after work trawl around some local sites turned out to be something of a disappointment. I'd hoped to catch up with a few early migrants but for the most part failed to do so. My local Ringed Plovers do not appear to have returned to their breeding site yet, I'm hoping they're just late and will turn up in the near future. Likewise a search for Wheatears at Willowbrook Industrial Estate drew a blank and the only thing of note here was a sizeable herd of Fallow Deer.

Fallow Deer

After Willowbrook my travels took me to Priors Hall but my fortunes did not improve in the North Gullet which was distinctly lacking in wildlife. Its southern neighbour was a smidgeon more interesting with a Redpoll providing a welcome break from the humdrum fare elsewhere. At the quarry lake the Great Crested Grebe was still present and I'm hoping that it manages to attract a mate. A Little Egret was fishing in the shallows and there was a selection of commoner wildfowl. My migrant hunt finally delivered the goods when I found four Sand Martins hawking insects in the gathering gloom. They were my first for the year though were not new for the site as Shozzer saw a couple here on Monday. With the looming rain clouds looking increasingly threatening and the light quality fading I called it quits and began my stroll home.

Redpoll and Great Crested Grebe