First Snipe of the Autumn

The overnight weather conditions looked promising, so I headed out for a pack-up lunch and an afternoon at the Mill Lakes in an effort to see some autumn birds. A female Sparrowhawk was being mobbed by crows over Farmer Fox 's Cow Field, and as I watched the battle, another came into distant view over towards the Mill Lakes. A male Kestrel was repeatedly calling from the top of a tree at Dawson's Corner before moving off low over the fields. A Green Woodpecker was seen briefly as it flew from a fence post having been flushed by dog walker, and a flock of 35 Black-headed Gull were heading south from the direction of the Mill Lakes.

The middle section of the Mill Lakes produced the typical lonely adult Great Crested Grebe, around half a dozen Gadwall and a few Teal. Only two singing male Chiffchaff today, but one at end of Peninsula was showing very well, revealing a metal ring on its leg. I also caught a brief glimpse of a Kingfisher as it flew around one of the larger islands.

Just 41 Black-headed Gull were on the water around Mud Island, but I had seen that flock flying off earlier. The south side of the Mud Island produced a Common Snipe showing well for 15 minutes or so, but my VidiBin technique didn't really work without anything to balance the bins on. In the background, a Little Grebe was working its way around the reeds of the far bank, before I sat down for my (late) lunch. Everything went pretty quiet after that, and all I could add was a single Stock Dove and another Sparrowhawk, which was probably the same distant bird from earlier.