Monday: Not an early start - things to do. Went off to Harrold Country Park, mainly for a walk but always with some birding in mind. First, we came across a flock of Wigeon in the NW corner, 37 in all. The place was "heaving" with Coot as usual with a fair number of Tufted Duck as well. Two deer (Muntjac) were spotted in a stubble field but my camera is only set to 1Mp & 10x at best so forgive the images. I certainly wasn't going to put my hand out to focus on in the next pic!
Next, further along the northern path we came across quite a few Hornets, busy in the Hawthorns bordering the path. They can give you a very good "wallop", but are very unlikly to sting in the first place, unlike some dozy wasps. All the grebe were down one end and this seemed to be where the Cormorants were fishing, too.
Further round, we went into the hide. A flotilla of Tufteds passed in front as we scanned the Cormorants (17), spotted a Snipe, and watched a Little Egret preen high up in a tree. Next we went into the 'nature reserve' bit, where Richard (ranger) tried to run us over in the Landie.
Finally, we went and sat on a bench where we used to bring the Greylags ashore for ringing when they were flightless. Many geese, swans and ducks were 'loafing' on the island shore and we counted about 26 Gadwall. As we sat there 30-40 Redwings suddendly "fell" out of the sky "lickety-splick", and disappeared from view in the bramble bushes (middle right in the above pic) on the island, safe from predators (?). They were probably going to an early 'roost' at the possible end of their long, overnight migration from Scandinavia. There has been a sudden influx of these birds over the weekend according to the "vis-miggers" that I have contact with. A real sign of autumn!
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