Nethergong Birding

With some sunshine and light winds forecast for Saturday morning, I thought I would have a couple of hours in the hide. Arriving at 8:30, I was soon set up and put a few peanuts on the log where soon after a few Great Tits and Robins arrived. It was otherwise generally quiet with Jays heard in the background but they never came in. Best bird of the morning was a female Great spotted Woodpecker which made a few visits and at least gave me a few chances with the camera. With some extra time Sunday morning out, I walked around most of the patch where I noted 50 species. Birds of note included c403 Cormorant out, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Great White Egret still out in the ditches, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 male Sparrowhawk displaying, 3 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 1 Raven, 7 Skylark, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Long tailed Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper (66) and 1 Mistle Thrush (67) in song. There were 22 Redwing, 44 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, 21 Chaffinch, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Yellowhammer and 1 Reed Bunting. I decided to walk back through one of the winter fields to see whether and Partridge were hiding there, they weren't but I did flush a flock of Pipits which initially I thought were going to be Meadow Pipit but as they took flight, I was surprised that they sounded more like Water Pipit. I watched them fly off before they landed again. I checked the calls online and was convinced they were Water Pipit... but in the middle of a field! I continued on before they all flew up again. This time I could hear the calls well as c10 Water Pipit (68) flew off over me. A couple of record shots were confirmed by others on Twitter which was helpful. A good bird to get on the patch with just a single bird seen last year. I returned later at 3:30pm where I spent an hour or so looking out over the marsh with the scope in the hope of a Hen Harrier or Short eared Owl. No luck on this front but I did manage to see 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Great White Egret and c400 cormorant returning to the Stour Valley. 

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker