Grafham Water - 15 August 2013

After early morning rain had cleared a visit to the dam, Hill Farm, lagoons and fishing lodge areas for a few hours.

The rain had dropped in a few waders mostly on the dam:1 juvenile Ruff; 1 Sanderling; 8 Ringed Plovers (2 ads and 6 juveniles); 1 Little Ringed Plover over south; 8 Common Sandpipers were counted. Common Terns had increased to c.120 including several family groups and 2 juvenile Arctic Terns were at the south end of the dam. 1 Turrtle Dove flew through south; c.30 Swallows and c. 20 House Martins were at the north end of the dam where a nice small group of warblers were gorging on windblown insects included 2 Garden Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat. c. 25 Yellow Wagtails were on the Marlow cropped grass including the 4 odd looking juveniles noted on 14th; 1 Wheatear in the north fields. Few large gulls were present today but did include 6 Yellow Legs and an odd bird that I couldn't quite work out pictured below. The aberrant Red Crested Pochard was again in Dudney Creek. 

Sanderling - Grafham Dam 15 August 2013 - a presumed first-summer bird judging by the covert and tertial fringing and the extent of moult to non-breeding plumage. 

Sanderling - Grafham Dam 15 August 2013  - note how pale the legs appear in this photo due to the angle and light.

    Larid Sp - Grafham Dam - 15 August 2013