Ingrebourne Valley

Arriving at the car park just before 7am it was getting light; first thing i saw was an amusing sight of a lady no more than 5ft 2 with a Great Dane. it was plane to see the reason why she was over there so early; she had absolutly no control over the dog in any way!

I was atempting the impossible (for me) to try and find the Bitterns. After reading varying blogs i headed off in what i thought was the right direction. It wasnt i couldnt even get close the reeds; back the other way; nope wrong again. In the area i though they were i walked this way and that not being able to get close enough to see the base of the reeds or the water they stood in.

Deciding this was definately a mission impossible without further info i heaeded off to the Berwick Pond area.

It was about about 7.30am when it started; Woodpigeons flying over. For 5 minutes wave after wave of them all headed in the same direction; westish. I counted what i could, after fifteen hundred i thought it was slowing down; the suddenly more and it continued for another few minutes. easily 2000-3000 birds.

Lucikly for me watching these meant i caught sight of a small brown bird fly across the path which turned out to be a patch tick for me; a Goldcrest.

At the Berwick Pond side i still didnt manage to get the Bittern so i heaed over to the area between top & bottom paddocks; plenty of Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch & Goldfinch.

Other birds seen: Pheasant, Carrion Crow, Collard Dove, Teal, Moorhen, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Reed Bunting, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Canada Goose, Grey Heron, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Black Bird, Song Thrush - plus i also counted about 7 Cettis Warbler singing but didnt see any.

Nice, just had a look and Song Thrush is another patch tick!

courtesy of www.birds.deansfamily.com