Following a modest start to my summer holidays on the birding front, with cricket as usual taking over my time, I decided to head off to Barnes by train on Friday 28th June. I'd caught a cold and was right in the middle of it, so I wasn't quite there mentally but it was nice to get out for a few hours...
Unfortunately, well more like typically, I'd managed to leave my memory card at home, and didn't take a scope, so happily made do with my trusty pair of Barr and Stroud 10x42 binoculars.
I don't have too much to write about really, as it was stupidly hot and there was very little around. From the Peacock Tower, a Snipe appeared out of the long grass - speaking to the guide, who I'd met last year when I went with Kabir, he said another volunteer had apparently heard what they thought was a drumming Snipe earlier on in the year, which was interesting to hear about. There was a brief sighting of a Common Tern or two, while 2 Little Ringed Plover were seen from a few different hides. The highlight of the day was finding a Black-tailed Godwit on the main lake while scanning through the gulls. Having initially seen it, to be safe, I said I had a wader 'probably just a Redshank' so I could get someone's scope on to it. And surprisingly it was my first BTG in Surrey - a nice red, summer-plumaged bird at that.
A quick walk around the Wildside was quiet, with barely a bird seen, although a Painted Lady was struggling on the path. If anything had been there, other than Reed Bunts and Warblers, they were definitely scared off by a group of students who went around the place shouting and slamming windows which didn't help...
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| Black-tailed Godwit record shot. Surprisingly my first Surrey bird... |
I decided to cut my day short as it got hotter and I felt more ill, but a Green Sandpiper calling made me leave on a positive note!
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| WWT Barnes from the WWF hide |
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