Turned out nice again.....Jack Snipe!

Set off from the car at 0930 in Five Oak Green to the happy sound of Chaffinch song which turned out to be the most prolific song today though there was plenty of other birds singing too.

House Sparrow, Starling, Blue Tit, Collared Dove and Blackbird were all found before reaching the entrance to Moat Farm orchard where a Robin sat.

A Dunnock sang out with a several Goldfinch passing by calling.  I could hear Fieldfare in the distance and they soon came in to view, though certainly not in the numbers I have seen in the past few weeks. Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Goldcrest, Song Thrush all heard and seen before the approach to the Poplars.  A new bird for this blog popped in to view, Yellowhammer, a female.  I could hear another calling which I tracked down to one of the trees, a bright yellow male.

I could hear Skylark singing in the fields.  A Green Woodpecker called, though several were seen later.  

Walking across the fields several Skylark were singing and more calling though they seemed rather elusive at this point. Several Great Spotted Woodpecker continue to drum out territories.

Reaching the gravel pits a stunning Jay appeared.  Timing is everything, when I had set off it was overcast, grey and a cool breeze blowing.  By 1100 the cloud was clearing to reveal a warm sun and blue sky...and this fabulously coloured Jay with azure flash in the wing.  As I watched a Great Tit sang in the distant wood.

At the gravel pits I initially found 27 Coot but by the time I had finished I had found 56, so slightly down on previous numbers.

37 Tufted Duck, 7 Shoveller, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 6 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye, 20 Gadwall, 3-4 Reed Bunting singing, 3 Grey Heron, 25 Cormorant, 64 Black Headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 2 Kingfisher.  A singing Yellowhammer here. 2 Mute Swan, 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Moorhen, 2 Water Rail, 24 Teal.
A Green Sandpiper was flushed from one of the ditches near the gravel pits.

A Wren sang as several Long Tailed Tit went by.  4 Bullfinch were also present.

Before leaving the gravel pit area for the return journey there was finally some raptor interest - 3 Buzzard.

Returning across the fields the Skylark had gathered slightly and I counted 19, with one other singing.  Im sure there must have been more scattered across the field here.  I had previously noticed in these very large fields that there are no Skylark squares for possible breeding purposes.  I wonder if there is a reasonable breeding population here that could be enhanced?!

Return to car by 1145.