Birding the ‘patch’ the last
week has been slightly more interesting than the previous weeks although birds
still remain thin on the ground. There have been a few shrikes about with most
being Daurian Shrikes but a Red-backed Shrike was also present. Most of these
birds have been in the spray fields although a few have been in the recently
cleared scrubby desert. Other birds seen in the spray fields have been the
winter first Stonechats with three European Stonechats and one female Eastern
Stonechat. An Isabelline Wheatear was also on one of the spray heads one
evening. Waders have been plentiful and the settling pond has had a good number
including two Marsh Sandpipers, eight Wood Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers,
ten Little Stints, one Common Redshank, one Common Sandpiper and two Dunlin.
The wet ditch also has had a few waders with four Common Snipe, one Green
Sandpiper and one Wood Sandpiper. A few Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters are still
passing through and the Red-tailed Wheatear is still present on its favourite
boulders.
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| Daurian Shrike |
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| Daurian Shrike |
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| Eastern Stonechat |
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| Common Snipe |