Windfall at the Farm!

The weather at Beddington Farm was looking pretty good NE to N wind overnight with the N wind continuing into a NW though the morning with low cloud and mizzle to heavy fine rain from 10am (the stuff you get soaked through within a couple of minutes!).

Today I was going to combine a Timed Species Count with a McMillan count on the lakes. I worked out that I should just about get back to the hide before the taps were turned on!

(Sedge Warbler)

There were new entries to the Lakes lists, Garganey, Whinchat , Sedge Warbler and Meadow Pipit. I still havn’t managed to photograph the Garganey or the Whinchat. This was not going to be a great day for the camera despite another lesson in photography from Dodge.

I was just approaching the home straight on the 100 Acre count when I noticed a larger bird with a couple of Green Sand in flight and surely enough a Greenshank landed on Jim’s Bed. I failed miserably to get a picture of the bird deciding not to go too close with the SLR. Pied Wagtail was the only other new bird to this areas list.

As if on cue with opening the gate the mizzle began. Damn it! It would take twenty minutes to walk the path to the hide so I might as well complete the third hour count! No new species were logged and my waterproofs saved me from a soaking!

(House Martin)

I missed a Marsh Harrier which flew SE and Wheatear which were picked up by Pinpoint, Dodge and Tank near the lagoons. Once back in the hide the taps were on full and the skies were very murky. A group of Golden Plover were picked up by Pinpoint flying off W. The local Hobby made an appearance later on.

A few species made the McMillan lists that were not on the Timed Count.. Swallow, House Martin, Linnet, Dunnock, Stock Dove and Tree Sparrow to name a few!

(Great Tit)

I even moved further into the 21^st century tweeting sightings kojak020 is my twitter account name and I will tweet the latest from Beddington Farm when I’m there at the weekend!