Now Thats What I Call.....

....Disappointing....

0915 - 1115 overcast, grey, dull, occasionally brighter N f1-2

Well, I set myself up for that I suppose.  Keen to get that first migrant Chiffchaff, believing it should be today....and.....nothing.....

Actually, it was very quiet around the site today.  East Pit had virtually no birds on but I'm guessing this is to do with there now being several diggers on site in the quarry....and this is what they are doing....

Well, it doesn't look much I suppose....but close study will show where the uprights are to the right of the picture once stood a large metal hopper for sorting aggregate.  Also, the conveyor has gone.  The framework has disappeared, been cleared away, where the birch trees are to the left is where it once ran.....from the hopper to the loading area.

Looking south, above, to the main sorting housing on the left.  The current home to anywhere between 20 and 50 Feral Pigeons.  I was told some time ago this would be removed.  So is this next?

To the birds....better mention them I suppose!

A male and female Goldneye were on Middle Pit.  69 Shoveler were spread around the pits.  I saw 3 Teal but heard more, so hard to tell how many on site but I would guess its down to the usual 9 or 10.

4 Buzzards were circling high above the west end of the site.  Several Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming, two in competition with each other.

Other birds included Little Egret, Mandarin Duck, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Coot, Moorhen, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Starling, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Magpie, Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit.

3 Common Gull were in amongst the Black-headed Gulls.

Highlights of the day was finding 3 Brambling at the west gate, drinking from the large puddles there....and the Green Sandpiper was on site for the second visit in a row.

I found another two areas with Coltsfoot....looking very bright in the mostly dullness of the day.