Still slow on the migration front, with the exception of;
Honey Buzzard: The cloud formation encouraged me to undertake my 2nd lunchtime sky watch of the year.Apart from the commuting Cormorants some high flying Swifts a Swallow and the local House Martins the skies were fairly empty. That all changed when I picked up a male Honey Buzzard as it drifted in from the SW at 12.33am. I picked it up soaring just below some gulls, who didn’t want a large raptor encroaching on their space. They harassed it for a minute or so until it had gained height and moved of eastwards. It didn’t seem in any great hurry and began to thermal again, reaching a very high altitude before gliding off into the distance.
Swift: pairs were visible if you scanned the skies, but know more than 20 birds in all.
Swallow: Two birds fed briefly over the lake at 7.30am and another flew north at 12.25pm.
Reed Warbler: Four singing birds in the reed beds and wetland pen.
A good morning to take some pictures
Grey Wagtail female collecting food(above), House Martins collecting mud(below).
Common Shelduck male, part of a pair that I consider to be wild.
They are very nervous and only spend the summer with us.
A very aggressive fight between an Egyptian and Canada Goose. The Egyptian though smaller had the upper hand for much of the fight before the heavier bird finally took control and the Egyptian flew off.
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