A Spot of Patching

On Lockwood reservoir:

Little Egrets and a Grey Heron

The western ‘shore’ of Lockwood

Two snoozing juvenile Spotted Redshanks

Two awake juvenile Spotted Redshanks

Looking south from the northern end of Lockwood

Two Common Sandpipers and a Dunlin

A mini murder of crows

A log

A Devil’s Coach Horse under a log

An adult male Kestrel on Walthamstow Marshes paddock

A first winter Whinchat on the bomb crater field of Walthamstow Marshes

GH

Quicky

A quick patch visit today around East Warwick and the Rear Paddocks.

A female Teal stood out among the Tufties.

 The East Warwick water level was teasingly low. And with the wind being so gusty I could see there were quite a few small birds taking refuge in the exposed rocks. A little walk along the 'shoreline' flushed several Grey and Pied Wagtails, three Common Sandpipers and one female Wheatear. 

The reed bed between 1 & 2 continues to develop.

There was no black and glossy bird in the flood relief channel by the rear paddocks.

Just a little white one.

@leevalleybirder

Patch Purgatory

On the Marshes:

Our confused little egret continues its personality crisis and tried to hang out with a mute swan on the flood relief channel this morning. The swan wasn't impressed.

Mute Swan trying to outstare a Little Egret

On the reservoirs:

Sensing a dull patch experience on the cards, I tried to make the most of it and got down level with an egyptian goose to flex my camera skills. It didn't quite know what to make of me, but was adamant that I wasn't going to be an obstacle along its feeding path and almost shooed me out of the way.

Egyptian Goose

"Excuse me. You're standing on my breakfast!"

Feeling in the groove with the getting down eye level with the birds thing, I snapped a Pied Wagtail  which are all looking spiffing in their crisp sum plum.

Pied Wagtail

I made it to Lockwood and feeling a bit unenthused by the apparent lack of new birds, I thought I might just scope the banks then head back, rather than plod on to the top. But I plodded on. And... nowt. 

But - when heading back - I saw a raptor quite low in the sky negotiating the wind westerly over the center of Lockwood. Bins up - a Red Kite. My first this year. 

GH - @leevalleybirder