Marston goodies.

One or two good birds at Marston today. There were still lots of large gulls in the area, early morning. A single adult yellow-legged gull was amongst the lesser black-backeds. (At least two yesterday). I suspect there will be plenty more over the coming days as the harvesting and ploughing is carried out.

3 little egrets and 3 green sandpipers were around. The muddy edges around the scrape look very, very inviting, there has got to be a good wader there soon. (Or maybe not, knowing Marston).

Early afternoon I had a stroll along the riverbank and on my return I heard the unmistakable sound of a purring turtle dove. This was a real surprise, especially this late in the season. I couldn’t believe it, it’s been three years since my last one here-up to then they were seen regularly each year. The song was coming from the other side of the plantation, I fought my way through the thick understory to get to the other side ( yet more scratches and stings) where I heard it again, along the rail embankment but it had now moved further along, still purring, but it remained hidden.

I just missed seeing Spadge, he had seen perhaps the best bird of the day, as a small flock of crossbills flew over him. Lucky sod, that’s still a bird I’ve never seen in the Grantham area.

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Sketch of the day.

Marston gulls.