Wednesday 8th April: Garganey

I'd been coveting my neighbour's GARGANEY: a splendid drake had turned up at Stratfield Brake just north of the Meadow and had been showing off to all and sundry for a few days now. So when Matthew Southwell reported one on Port Meadow on the Going Birding site early afternoon today I didn't need much prompting and hurried down to see for myself. It was easy to find, hanging out at the southern end of the floods and dabbling away happily. I don't know if this is actually the same bird as the Stratfield Brake one - the latter hasn't been reported today as I write this though it may just be that no one has looked. Wherever it was from, it's always a splendid sight to see and a most welcome addition to the year list.

The drake Garganey

Other birds present today were the usual 3 REDSHANKS, 3 OYSTERCATCHERS (the usual pair and a singleton), 6 SHELDUCK, 3 SWALLOWS and my first HOUSE MARTIN of the year and another Patch year tick. There were also two Buzzards and a Red Kite soaring in the afternoon thermals whilst I was there.

Addendum
Steve Lavington found a couple of LITTLE RINGED PLOVER on the floods this evening. We're starting to amass a reasonable tally for this species now.