Brief encounter

I had the opportunity to pay a brief visit this weekend while on other business. As delightful as it was the relative blazing heat/sun in the afternoon on Sunday didn't inspire much confidence for seeing many birds but a 3 hour look around Kelk and Gembling netted a handful of decent records.

Sunday 1st June

Gadwall - 1

Tufted Duck - 2

Heron - 3

Marsh Harrier - 1

Buzzard - 2

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 3 including a 'new' bird at Gembling.

Yellow Wagtail - 2

Garden Warbler - 1

Lesser Whitethroat - another new singing male

(at least 13 this spring, way more than any previous year)

Also...

Brimstone - 2 at Gembling (moderately scarce locally)

Roe Deer - 1 at Kelk (not easy to see in summer!)

I was surprised to see standing water at Gembling. It got me thinking - would it be too much to ask for a few spots of decent wader habitat this autumn?