Longham Patch 11th March

View from the South West corner seat

I was going to go for the Snow Bunting this morning but had to go in to Winton in the morning first so decided to drop in to Longham on the way home instead.

It was a nice walk round the lakes with birds singing and calling,  those Bullfinches are still eluding me I looked all round the hedges of North lake, Reed Buntings, Goldfinch, Long tailed Tits and  the first Cetti’s Warbler ( a total of 3 heard round the lakes) of the morning heard and out of the thicket shot a male Sparrowhawk that flew low right over the top of me a wonderful sighting.

Two Great White Egrets were on the Stour by the cattle drink opposite the causeway, out on South lake, 9 Pochard still remain but numbers going down with them 16 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 2 Shoveler and 6 Gadwall plus Mallards Tufted Duck and Coot. Looking through the gulls I had 1 common Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 11 Mediterranean Gulls mixed in with the Black-headed Gulls. Besides all of these there were the usual woodland species like Blue Tits,Great Tits, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker a Kestrel and and new bird for the Patch Work Challenge a pair of Jays which brings the years patch list up to 70 species of bird and 4 mammals seen of far.