Saturday 28th August 2010 - Morning

8:30 > 12:00
15c sun, cooling NW breeze.

Following on from Paul M's text (see below) I made my way to the Farm with the intention of photographing the Common Redstarts. They took some finding but after an hour or so a single female was found along the Ridge path leading back to the canal not far from Pauls original instructions. Indeed only a matter of yards from where last years birds were found. If it wasn't for the textbook dropping down from cover picking something off the grass then shooting back I could have well  have walked right past it. Despite it being on the wrong side of the light I managed to get a couple of (not that brilliant) shots in but then as if it knew it was centre stage it got in prime position in the spotlight only with me now on the wrong side of the fence, see pics.

Well hidden...

Also on site two Yellow Wagtails over and a smattering of migrants in the reeds and bushes along the river and brooks. Briefly a single Golden Plover dropped in to one of the new pools alongside two Green Sandpipers. Seven Teal also put in an all to short visit. Three Common Terns lingered for a while in the sun as did a single Oystercatcher on one of the flooded pools in the new workings. A flock of forty Lapwing flew over while six could be found down on the mud at waters edge.

As things warmed up out came the dragonflies and butterflies. Nothing unusual on the butterfly front but not knowing a hawker from a chaser who knows on the odonata front, more pics later.

And finally a Common Buzzard made the day photo wise, given some cracking shots in the light.

Common Redstart - Birdguides
Common Redstart - BTO
Common Redstart - Avibirds
Common Redstart - RSPB
Common Redstart - Wiki