Saturday looked as though it could be relatively quiet at Greylake. In the morning there were good views of lapwing displaying in flight and on land – watch for lapwing pushing their chests into the ground with their wings tucked up behind them. This is how the lapwing will create their nest scrape and they continue to do this as a territorial display. There were also curlew calling overhead and a redshank visible on the central bank in front of the hide. The resident reed buntings were looking fabulous in the morning light and Cetti’s warbler were bursting into song throughout the day.
At lunchtime a female merlin was seen – at one point in the dead tree next to the ‘dummy’ cranes. An hour or so later 3 little ringed plover arrived and then a ruff was also found. The little ringed plovers were around on and off throughout the afternoon in spite of the lapwings making them feel very unwelcome.
It’s that time of year when bird numbers may be low yet we never know what may drop in.
Nick Edge