Scored a Marsh tit for my years list almost immediately, at the feeding station with many other species including some nice bullfinches.
Heading down to Lillians hide, I heard chiffchaff and willow warbler singing but neither was sighted. Nothing new at Lillians, I'd hoped that marsh harrier or water rail would have been my 100th species this year. Or at least little grebe or red breasted merganser, two species that have evaded all year! No luck here, only a single swallow of note (struggling against the rain and wind).
On to the public hide, in hope of cettis warbler or bearded tit.......
Nothing really :( A pair of Gbb gulls look like they've nested on the island, a few pochard and 20+ swallows on this pond. The rain got heavier, so decided against the lower hide on this visit.
The Tim Jackson hide produced a red deer (as usual) and a few little egrets. I was still looking for the 100th species on my 2010 list, and the grisedale hide delivered! As soon as the rain let-up a cracking male marsh harrier flew past, showing for 10 mins or so.
On the walk back to the car park, I heard another chiffchaff call, and managed to get this one in the bins. Species 101.
Soup and sarnies in the car. We noticed a female chaffinch nest building right in front of us. A tiny well camoflaged nest in a rowan fork.
The Allen hide had a gale force wind blowing straight in the window slits. The avocets (8) didnt seem as bothered as the redshanks (millions) though.
A closer inspection of the huddled redshanks, produced a spotted redshank, alone at the back of the flock.
A pair of gadwall hung around near the shelducks here too.
The black tailed godwits where probably sheltering a greenshank, but I could find any today.
Then, at last, I found one of this years bogey birds, a red-breasted merganser drake hauled-out on an island. Species no. 104 this year.... I still havent seen little grebe this year!
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