Ingrebourne Valley 2018 - 02.01

Trip two: a few additions but a rather wet end to a pleasant couple of hours. List to 55 with 7 additions.

I spent most of the time viewing the reservoir, then ventured on to the farm trail to the woods and back followed by the Glades and finally onto the lower paddock.

My target bird was Lesser Redpoll - i struggle with these little things for some reason, not just over the Valley but anywhere. Unless i stumble across a flock feeding and see the movement, i just cant find them. Today was the same.

Rather wet

Coot, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Gadwall, with the last two added to the list. A Red Crested Pochard type was also to be seen. I thought it was an adult female but it didn't look right. Hybrid? So i'm presently referring to the Duck bible by Sebastien Reeber.

The bird was among the Gadwall; however took flight on its own heading towards Berwick ponds.

I haven't been over the farm trail much over the last few years but the farmer has left a few patches of the summer crop to go to seed along the trail. He may have been doing this for the last few years obviously but i hadn't seen it before. The patches we're really busy with birds - it was great to watch both yesterday and today. Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Chaffinch - loads of them. Linnet was added here.

On to the Berwick Glades and the farmer had started work in the fields - 60c Snipe rose from the furthest field closest to the center, finally settling again. A couple of Pied Wgatail followed by  a Common Gull  and small groups Fieldfare over; the first two coming from the reservoir direction and the last from the trees around the marshes.

So, back to work tomorrow - how long before the next visit - next weekend? next month or maybe June?