A very wet visit, but I thought I might find the garganey. The upstream flood meadows were once again under water, though two Canada geese, a pair of shelduck and a mallard the only wildfowl there. Grey heron, little egret, a few herring and lesser black back gulls....
At the hide, a drake garganey, presumably Rob's from the other day, dropped into some vegetation out of sight, but minutes later got up again and flew like a bullet past the hide, no chance of a photo. It could well have settled in the wet area just upstream of the hide which of course is no longer accessible thanks to the new fencing. A flock of 12 dunlin flew from that direction shortly afterwards. That was a surprise, as was a female gadwall landing on the open water in front of the hide and promptly disappearing into vegetation. Lots of reed and sedge warblers heard, also moorhen and coot, two more mallard, a grey heron and a little egret. Just one snipe flushed. Seen for about 2-3 seconds flying along the northern edge of the reedbed and dropping into the reeds, was a medium-to-large brown heron type - only glimpsed as it passed behind willow clumps, in poor visibility, one to keep a look out for. Swallows and sand martins over the water. So - what's with the gadwall?
At least 5 Cettis. The lesser whitethroat, seen as well as heard this time, was singing in the blackthorn scrub by the pines.