An earlier start on the farm today which was much chillier than yesterday but there were things going on amongst the swirling clouds! It took a while for birds to emerge from the clouds but when the action started I had to have eyes everywhere!
A Red Kite was the first interesting entrant wheeling in from the east. The bird circled above Puddletown Water Meadows and then seemed to be sucked up into a vortex of air disappearing above the cloud and vanishing!
I have compared the feather wear on this bird with the bird at Athelhampton the previous day and there is more wear in the tail and wear in the primary tips at p6 and 7 on both wings which suggests this is a different bird. Three birds in two days will there be more to come!
Shortly after eight Buzzard suddenly dropped below the cloud as they circled in a migratory fashion. These birds disappeared in the same manner as the Kite which definitely put me on edge! What would be next!
I noted a pair of Gadwall on the meadows. This species is a rare visitor to the farm with no records last year! My previous sightings have all been at Athelhampton.
I have convinced myself there will be a Garganey tucked away amongst the receding water and sodden ground so I walked the meadows in search of this quarry. I was at the Causeway pond scanning the fields when a flock of Sand Martin appeared below the clouds the birds remained in the area hawking the feast of insects!
A female Goosander was noted resting in the grass at the waters edge at Athelhampton. This is another species that has become a regular feature on the farm this year!
The rest of the day was pretty average after that!
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