Friday 10th March

It's been a productive few days on the Patch as far as the year list goes with a few ticks to add to the collection. Firstly, a RUFF and four DUNLIN dropped in on Tuesday though while the Ruff only stayed a couple of days the Dunlin were still about today. With a couple of small groups of BLACK-TAILED GODWITS also about (three on Wednesday and two today) as well as the currently resident OYSTERCATCHERS it's getting quite "wadery" these days.

The first Ruff of the year

On the duck front, winter duck numbers are dwindling noticeably. There are still four SHELDUCK about and today we had a pair of PINTAIL as well as three GADWALL, the latter being a species that drops in here just in the spring. GOOSANDER are still coming into roost but we're down to just a handful these days.

The other two ticks that we had this week were a LITTLE EGRET working its way along the ditch that runs along the west side of Burgess Field and at last a GREAT CRESTED GREBE. This latter species is normally a nailed-down certainty on the Castle Mill Stream or the Thames itself but has been most conspicuous by its absence this year. However one flew in and settled on the floods briefly this evening. Let's hope that it finds the local area to its liking and stays put.