Wednesday 25th April

Another wet and dreary visit to the Meadow with not much to report. At least the persistent rain has ensured that the floods are very nicely topped up and in fact large damp areas are now forming in the Hinterland which many of the few remaining ducks are enjoying. In general the floods are remarkably empty at the moment with just a few teal, the odd wigeon, the usual mallards and a handful of gadwall about. The usual spring build up of no-breeding mute swans has begun and recently I counted at least 20 birds. Today the two SHELDUCK were back again, there was a WHEATEAR just to the North of Stint Corner and a rather bedraggled skylark feeding along the North Shore. The LITTLE EGRET is still around, feeding down at the southern end and there were plenty of hirundines hawking low over the river including a few sand martins. The highlight of yesterday was a report of two probable ARCTIC TERNS by Sydney Penner. Quite a few of these birds are passing through the country at present with at least a dozen at Farmoor today.