May 2008
Osprey over Grove Ferry this morning.
10/05/08
A singing Sedge Warbler this morning at Grove Ferry.
A visit to Grove Ferry this morning, paid of with the sighting of an Osprey, mid morning from the viewing ramp. I entered the reserve at 06.15 am, and nearly photographed a Turtle Dove perched high in a tree along the entrance track, but once again, as I readied my camera, it then flew off. Oh well there is always next time. With only binoculars, I managed to see the scopes of the locals along the middle Drove, so guessed that the Grasshopper Warbler was reeling, and made my way towards the Marsh Hide. I met Martyn Wilson, Marc Heath, Allan Ashdown and Phil Parker in the hide, and after a short while we all returned to the Middle Drove, where I caught a sound of the Grasshopper Warbler, but it only called twice, (or with my dodgy hearing I only heard it twice). A Hobby passed overhead, as did a noisy Ring-necked Parakeet, and a couple of hunting Marsh Harriers were seen low over the reed beds. We made our way back to the ramp, and it was while I was watching 2 Shell Duck flying in the distance, that Martyn alerted me to an Osprey, which was flying towards the ramp, before turning and flying off South away from view. This is only the second Osprey I have seen in the Stour Valley, my first 3 years ago, high over Fordwich. Waders were plentiful from the ramp, with several Greenshank, along with Common and Green Sandpipers, Ring Plover and Common Snipe. 2 Little Egrets were seen, and the day list ended with 58 species. Numerous Sedge Warblers were active in the reed beds, a couple posing for a photo.
Day List. Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Song Thrush, House Sparrow, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Collard Dove, Turtle Dove, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Hobby, Ring Necked Parakeet, Grasshopper Warbler, Short Eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Cuckoo, Little Egret, Magpie, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Cormorant, Common Tern, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, Teal, Linnet, Lapwing, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Swift, Common Snipe, Shell Duck, Osprey, Shoveller, Sand Martin, House Martin, Sparrow Hawk, Pied Wagtail, Ring Plover, Grey Heron, Common Whitethroat, Wren, Kestrel.