Sunday 15th July 2012

It' not raining for a change - the Butts pond has never been this full even in the depths of winter. A dispersing Great-spotted Woodpecker early on with, probably, a different individual moving through late morning as individuals of this species don't tend to loiter long here. A moulting female Blackcap was new in - they are supposed to moult then migrate so i don't suppose it has come from to far away. Movers & shakers this morning included 73 Black-heads, 17 Sand Martins, 7 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 5 Oyks, 4 Sandwich Terns, 2 Meds & a Whimbrel going south plus 71 Common Scoter, 7 Common Terns, 5 Little Terns, 2 Gannets, 2 Brent Geese & a Sandwich Tern going north. The Brent Geese looked fit & well as individuals at this time of the year are normally tardy individuals that are not capable of going far. The small Ringo chick that is now 18 days old is still with us but the gargantuan one may well have left home as neither it or it's parents were obvious this morning. The male from this pair has been displaying a lot lately so if they are going to attempt another brood they had better get a move on. Finally the Ringlet from two days ago is still in the same spot on the Butts.