Marston 2 visits in one day!

I saw on Twitter that Dave R had seen a couple of Whinchat at Marston so off I went for a look today, not been for a while so the visit was long overdue.

I had over an hour looking around from 8am and never saw much at all and so off I went to the hide as the rain had decided to arrive.

The view across the scrape from the hide was pretty quiet with about  a dozen Gadwall, same number of Mallard and a few Moorhen and Coot was all that was seen on or around the water during my initial scans. Then a nice looking Wigeon appeared from the back of the large island.

The skies were seemingly bereft of birds with only the odd Corvid and Wood Pigeon being seen. A few Blue and Great Tits were buzzing around the area close to the hide and soon a trio of Chiffchaff were seen up close, it looked to me like 2 juvenile and a tidy adult.

Another look across the water and I spotted a second Wigeon kipping all alone in the water, this bird eventually woke up and moved lazily towards the other bird at the left hand tip of the large island. Then some serious preening took place before another kip!

Just as I was leaving a group of about 30 teal dropped in, I then went home having enjoyed the time but sad I had not connected with a Whinchat, never mind next time eh?

I was at home and received a text from Dave R “Sorry mate Whinchat showing well now” – so what did i do? Yep off to Marston again to see if I could see my first Whinchat in a couple of years.

Met Dave and the man with the ‘special touch’ put me straight onto a single bird! We watched the bird from some distance doing the usual high perching showing its form off nicely for us both to admire.

In a tree a long way off a trio of Little Egret along with what we think was a Crow were perched. After Dave had left a Buzzard flew out of a neighbouring tree close to this tree and all bird flew up along with 2 Grey Heron also.

Dave had to go and I stayed for a little longer, the bird came a little closer, a lovely looking fit and healthy bird this one.

Am going to have to get to Marston open a more regular basis as we are now entering the Autumn the bird movements become more interesting don’t they?