Tuesday:
Lumbered out around 06:30, I wish I could get up earlier - this time of day is awesome, no-one about, quiet(er), cool, everything as fresh as it's going to be (including myself). Dan texted me about a Yellow-legged Gull on the western playing fields. I need that. Didn't think it would stick though, they are really piss-easy to flush. But it was there and that ladies and gentlemen is my 100th tick for the year on the flats. Still along way back from last year, but there is still time.
No sooner had I grabbed that, Dan texted from Long Wood: Redstart and Spotty at the east end. Steve, who had now joined me went for one last look at Cat & Dog, where we found a prospective Wryneck-necker.
I knew I would end up at that bush again, and I knew that it would be me crashing through the scrub in order that others should see it. A lot going on in that bush, a Reed Warbler had joined the Whitethroats and they chased each other around and anything else that came into their orbit.
I heard the Wryneck call quietly to itself, as I thought I'd done last night. A kind of woodpecker chuckle. He finally gave the large crowd of 2 plus Steve and Jono what they wanted and then buggered off.
No traipsing through the ant hills today though, I got a patch to work.
With our 2 guests, we did Long Wood: Redstart showing rather well, up centre path: Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, and a rather smart Lesser Whitethroat, then over to Alex: Whinchat trying to make like a bush and the back end of a tit flock, even picked up another or the same Yellow-leg on the way there.
We were however expecting more with all that rain last night. Dan did report numerous Chiffchaff at the east end of Long Wood, but they like the mist and the dew, had evaporated by the time I strolled up.
Wednesday and I am feeling crap. Still I would feel a lot worse if I didn't slog round the patch. Meadow Pipits were chasing each other around the Angel pond, for some reason they have all moved up here from the main brooms. I had a dream last thing this morning, interrupted by a loud Tree Pipit call. A premonition. Just in case I forget to give the answer in the final act - no it wasn't.
Whinchat were in residence in the broom field along centre path. I counted four but Jono came up with 6 later, otherwise it was a bit quiet. As for the local celebratory: he had no visitors at all, and once I'd found him, I had him all to myself for about 15 minutes. He didn't do much in that time, just swung his head from side to side. Then he hoofed it over the back of the bush and into the jungle.
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