Grafham Water - 8 May 2013

Initially very murky with intermittent rain until 8 am and south-easterly winds, becoming brighter through the day

A couple of hours on the dam early morning and a lunchtime repeat visit with a walk to the lagoons.

A bit of movement early morning with a Little Tern straight through east and 8 Arctic Terns through south-east after lingering off the dam for a while. 13 Ringed Plovers circled the Dam before heading off ENE into the murk. Just 4 Yellow Wagtails were counted and a single Common Sandpiper was on the dam. Garden Warblers were present in numbers many singing with c.12 between the south end of the Dam and the Lagoons a wave of Chiffchaffs was also evident with c 18 in the same area. 2 Avocets and a single Bar-tailed Godwit were on the lagoons. 

Bar-tailed Godwit 

Lammas Meadow, Little Paxton 6 May 2013

Initially calm then a gentle southerly breeze backing south-east, sunny and warm.

A couple of hours on the meadow from 06.30, then a bit of skywatching from the balcony in the evening. 

Despite the unpromising conditions a pulse of new passerine migrants the best of which was a female Redstart, 2 Tree Pipits which flew off NE from the main hedge and the first Garden Warbler of the year. 

Whitethroats were up in number at 8 and a single Lesser Whitethroat was new in otherwise warbler numbers were as expected. 31 Swallows flew through north.

Four distant terns were probably Black but were just beyond id range. 

An evening balcony watch failed to produce much excitement, 2 Common Sandpipers were the only noteworthy sightings. 

Lammas Meadow, Little Paxton - 5 May 2013

Light SW breeze, sunny and warm with some cloud.

An early morning walk across Lammas Meadow followed up with watches from the house balcony from 1100-1300 hrs and 1900-2100 hrs.

Lammas Meadow was very quiet this morning with 1 Wheatear being the only new in migrant, but the balcony watches were more productive. 

4 Common Buzzards were displaying over the Mill Field copse, 1 first-summer Grey Plover flew ENE as did 11 Dunlin, 4 male Yellowhammers heading north were intriguing. At 2043 hours 17 Arctic Terns flew high north toward Grafham in the rapid migratory flight style that this species can adopt when required. 

Balcony Skywatch - 4 May 2013

Very fresh SW wind with occasional heavy showers - intermittent river/skywatching throughout the day.

Sandwich Tern - 2 flew ENE along the Ouse late morning, 6 late Black-tailed Godwits flew north, a male Cuckoo flew along the river and a small passage of Swallows ENE totalled c70 birds. 

Lammas Meadow - 3 May 2013

A light frost with mist across the meadow, calm with clear blue skies..

An hour and a half or so from 0600hrs....

5 Wheatears (3 males) (all race oenanthe) on the playing fields were new in as was a Grasshopper Warbler reeling along the central hedge, otherwise fewer warblers than yesterday certainly with clear skies overnight. 

Lammas Meadow - 2 May 2013

Too nice an evening not to spend a couple of hours on the doorstep patch...

11 presumably local Common Terns along the Ouse were joined briefly by 6 Arctic Terns which then headed off high ENE, 4 Teal flew north, 2 Snipe were on the flash with 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 male Wheatears had survived the days canine disturbance or might have dropped in late. Warblers were in full song with 18 Reed which must have included migrant birds, 3 Sedge, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. 6 Swallows flew north.

Ouse Washes - 2 May 2013

Bright blue skies with  a few cirrus clouds and easterlies coming from a fair way east which brought in

Red-footed Falcons (3)

Leaving Churchmans hide at 11.45 a scan across the Bishopsland meadow to the west revealed a male Red-footed Falcon hunting over the wet 'troughs', walking north to get closer views the falcon appeared to have doubled back and was over the pond near the Ship Inn. I  phoned the news in as an adult or near adult male since I was certain that I had seen some pale in the lower belly.

The adult male which showed reasonably well had the requisite brick red thighs, vent and undertail coverts and silvery outer upper wings (stunning!)  but I was pretty certain that there was a second male with a paler patch at the lower belly presumably a fourth calendar year bird (i.e. near adult) and this was proven to be the case with views of a distant male which was presumably this bird whilst the adult male was still in view at the southern end of Bishopsland. 

The birds were never really close and quite wary though typically perched between frequent high wheeling hunting sorties I decided to try the road near the Ship Inn which seemed a favored spot being sheltered from the easterlies and spent 45 minutes scanning but only managed distant views of the two males when a full adult female came into my scope view with the adult male and both were watched for a few minutes before disappearing across the bank and into the Washes. 

The birds were feeding avidly so were presumably very recently arrived. 
Poscript: interestingly having looked closely at some excellent photographs of the male at Lakenheath, Suffolk on 3 May this has somewhat paler red thighs and lower belly with more yellow pigment presumably this was the second male which appeared at a distance to have a paler lower belly and thighs.  

Otherwise:
4 Garganey (south end Common wash Hide), 1 Whooper Swan (presumably ill), 4 Pintail, c 40 Little Egrets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits mostly race limosa, 26 + Ruff, c. 40 Redshank, 24 + Avocets, 1 cream crown Marsh Harrier, 1 second calendar year Mediterranean Gull, 5 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat and c 25 Yellow Wagtails. 

Adult male Red-footed Falcon - Ouse Washes

Adult male Red-footed Falcon heading towards the Washes past the distinctive aqua wires 

same bird showing the diagnostic silvery outer upperwings