Stodmarsh 13 Sep

A trip to Stoddy today, managed the circuit but took me 6 1/2 hours to get round. Started at Reedbed hide, a family of Long Tailed Tits showing on the track just off the car park, very quiet at the hide except for a quick view of a Water rail.

Water Rail

From there walked round to Tower Hide, on Lampen Way spotted a Green Sandpiper, amongst the Mallard, Shoveller and Teal, and a few B H Gulls around. As i passed the hide I flushed a Peregrine out, missing me by about 5 feet. Water meadow was bone dry and devoid of activity, except for a pair of Stock Doves over the back. Sat on the bench by the ox bow and saw the only Marsh Harrier of the day, a juvenile. On the trail from the river to the ramp, I had a chance to try out some closer photography on a splendid loodking Tortoiseshell butterfly.

Tortoiseshell

The ramp produced a high number of Greylags, plenty of Lapwing, Mallard, Teal, a few Widgeon, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Blacktail Godwits and 1 Ruff. David Feast hide showed amongst the Mallards, Shovellers, Teals and Lapwings, 3 Green Sands, 6 Snipe and a very nice Spotted Redshank.

Spotted Redshank

Leaving the hide, a few Bearded Tits were flitting about giving tantalising glimpes too short for photos. Marsh Hide showed just 2 Coot, 2 Grey Herons and 3 Stock Dove.
On the trails were the usual Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Cettis, and 1 Willow Warbler spotted.
Total Count for the day was 46.