Team Canons was represented today by myself, Roy Weller, Paul Goodman, Cliff Allan and Ian Magness. We put in over twelve hours today and our haul wasn't too shabby, with a respectable 57 species recorded (Greenfinch the most glaring omission this time). Birder of the Day was Roy who found, in patch terms, an incredible flock of four Dunlin
that called as they headed northeast over the farm - only the second site record. I'd have been more than a bit miffed about missing these if I hadn't seen the first bird in April this year! Roy also had the year's only Grey Wagtail so far fly west, which I missed but hopefully I'll get one later in the year. He also found an unseasonal Red Kite, very low apparently, and a Cormorant (never an easy bird). I am more than consoled for missing the wagtail, though, as being where I was at the time, at The Scrub, meant I instead had a juvenile
Marsh Harrier circle low above me for a couple of minutes before it quickly disappeared south into the gloom. I presume this was the bird seen an hour or so earlier at Beddington. An exciting local find and the only CFBW record this year (fourth ever)! I joined Roy at his vigil by the farmhouse from early afternoon and this produced a single
Yellow Wagtail north and a
Hobby. A small number of common warblers were dotted the patch but no passerines better than the wagtails were found, unfortunately... there's plenty autumn left though...
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| Marsh Harrier -fourth site record |
