Wonderfully varied evidence of passage today: a constant stream of Skylarks overhead in the morning, all heading west. And smaller numbers of Swallows coming the opposite direction. In both cases the numbers dropped off before midday.
In the valley, the sallow bushes were full of Goldcrests: 20 or more at any one time, with fresh groups dropping in every 10 minutes or so. I tried to look at every single one in the hope of a Firecrest or YBW, but just found a single Chiffchaff..... Here's looking forward to the weekend. Other interesting birds that dropped in included a party of 5 Reed Buntings, 2 Grey Wagtails, a pair of Blackcaps, and good numbers of Linnets, Chaffinches and Goldfinches.
Most exciting was a female Sparrowhawk that has been around in recent days. She dived into the bushes by the road, and spent the next 20 minutes rummaging through the bushes, her progress marked by alarm calls of assorted tits and Goldcrests. No evidence she got anything, though.
At the Mere this afternoon, I counted over 70 Teal on the open water at the east end. Most either juveniles, or still in eclipse. The Glossy was by the barbed wire gate, ridiculously confiding. I simply do not know what Derek feeds it each day, but it works fantastically! It was really good to meet Stuart Devonald in the North Hide.
