Today it was a case of judging when to dash to the next hide whilst dodging the showers – at West Mead the previous weeks pair of pintail were still present, together with three gadwall and a redshank. Four lapwing chicks were being defended by ever vigilant parents, and on one occasion there was a very audible 'bonk' as a crow got on the wrong end of a attack for getting too close.
Nightingales were still giving the occasional burst of song at Fattingates and Adder Alley and patience was rewarded with a brief view. Chiffchaff, blackcaps, whitethroat, sedge, garden and willow warblers were all present around the trail.
After a brief shelter in Little Hanger we stopped at the Hanger, but the imminent rain made us retreat to Nettleys hide where it was just possible to see two black-tailed godwits, a single little-ringed plover and a pair of very smart mandarin. A radio call alerted me to a curlew sandpiper which had been reported earlier, so I went back to the now dry Hanger, and after a bit of searching - there it was in beautiful orange summer plumage along with three dunlin and a further three little-ringed plover (cheers for the call Russ, I would have missed it!).
Later in the afternoon walking back to West Mead in the sunshine, a hairy dragonfly was hawking in the shelter of the hedgerow near Winpenny. It may have been a lucky one as at least six hobbies were going backwards and forwards dipping below the river bank as seen from West Mead. What more can you ask, with an eye to the sky we kept dry and the day ended in sunshine.
Thanks to Gary for today's update.