Grafham Water 21 May 2012

On the dam in cold north-westerlies at 0615 visited the lagoons late morning and sloped off home at midday after a long cold morning...

Little Tern at rest

1 Hobby over, a distant ringtail Harrier sp was most likely a Montagu's but views too brief and distant to be certain as it flew over the fields to the north of the dam and over the hill brow;
1 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin race schnizii and 3 Sanderling on the dam, 2 Greenshanks through north and 1 on the lagoons, 5 Arctic Terns through at 09.15, 1 Black tern distantly in the middle late morning, 1 Little Tern in from the south took a 10 minute rest on the dam then flew off north, c300 Swifts, c900 Swallows, c90 House Martins. An influx of Common Whitethroats was noteworthy with 11 singing around the lagoons...

female Yellow Wagtail  the greyish crown and mantle indicative
of strong flava genetic influence

Hawthorn blossom
a timely reminder that it is spring inspite of the temperature today