STEVE ASHTON'S WILDLIFE GALLERY

My Diary

My lowest ever Wader count at Grove

I spent most of the day today, in the Stour valley, walking a circuit at the Grove ferry end of the reserve, and then driving through the lanes to the car park at Stodmarsh, and then walking another circuit, but from the Stodmarsh end. Not a great deal was seen, but the most worrying thing noted, was a wader species count of just 3 species, and these numbers did not get into double figures. Seven Lapwing, a solitary Redshank and the icing on the cake, a Little Ringed Plover seen on the water Meadows from Paddy’s bench. My walk around the Grove ferry end of the reserve was mainly taken up by watching and photographing a pair of Common Whitethroats feeding chicks, by the ramp, and down the river I had 2 Nightingales, my first for a few weeks. Blackcap and Chiffchaff were heard on the other side of the river, as were the Nightingales. I had a chat with Steve Ray on the way out, hearing about his successful birding trip to Spain, and then I drove to Stodmarsh, and walked down to the Marsh hide. Several Wren and Blackcap were seen and heard, Turtle Dove were purring in the tree tops over towards the reed bed hide, and a Cuckoo was heard. Constant song from Reed, Sedge and Cettis Warbler accompanied me along the path to the hide, and a Wren perched high on a reed stem, giving me a photo opportunity which I somehow managed to muck up. From the hide I had 2 of my 3 Wader species, Lapwing and Redshank, along with 2 Grey Herons and a Little Egret. A Lapwing landed in front of the hide, allowing some photos, and I left the hide as a Marsh Harrier was hunting low over the reed bed. A few Common Terns were seen, beaks full with fish, heading back towards the main lake at Stodmarsh, with hungry chicks waiting expectantly. I carried on past the Middle Drove, with its new wooden gate, ??????? Noting 3 Shelduck that flew over my head, and walked on to Harrisons Drove, looking out at nothing from the hide. Back down to the river, where a pair of Cuckoos seemed to be disputing territory, and competing for the attention of a hepatic female, and another Nightingale was heard on the other side of the river. A well earned rest on Paddy’s bench had me giddy with excitement, as a Redshank I was watching; (probably the one earlier from the marsh hide) was joined by a Little-ringed plover, my 3rd Wader of the day. I sat listening to a Common Whitethroat, with House Martins and Swifts becoming more numerous, and out on the water meadows were Greylag Geese, 2 Shoveller, a few Gadwall, Mallard and a Little Egret flew over from the Marsh hide direction. The squabbling Cuckoos were still noisily disputing territorial rights, but they never gave me a photo opportunity in the 15 minutes spent on the bench. I did see the tail end of the red female bird, as she flew off towards tall trees on the North side of the river. I carried on, adding Garden Warbler and Jay to my list, and a quick look from the Tower hide, had me scratching my head as to why the newly placed Tern raft has 2 foot high sides on it. No one can see the raft, as it is hidden by the high sides. I ended the session with a pair of Hobbies, hawking out over the reed bed between the Lampern wall and the marsh hide, with another batch of photos obtained. A few miles under my belt, a shame there was not a few more birds on show.