Whinchats on the charge,31st August Friday.

5 Whinchats in the top Paddock 8 am this morning,  probably containing the same 2 that Shaun saw.  Very elusive,  and I wasn't going to chase them around.  Went back pm with Russ,  They were still there,  still elusive but one popped up in front of us.

This one

Oare Marshes Kent

Wheatear

Little Stint

Little Stint, Ring Plover, Dunlin.

Little Stint with Black-Tailed Godwit

Pair of Little Stints

Little Stints.

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Ruff

Black-Tailed Godwit

Yellow Wagtail

Ingrebourne to Rainham marshes and back, pushbike.

Three o'clock this afternoon decided to cycle through the Valley to RSPB,  weather was perfect.   Howard had already seen Honey Buzzard,  Common Buzzards  and Black Kite over Earlier.   I sat with Phil,  Pat and Mark watching the skies and we saw a Buzzard, some Hobbies a Peregrine and a number of snipe and Green sandpipers flying around  and a couple of Whimbrel resting in the scrape.     On the way back through      Hornchurch CP I clocked my first Spotted Flycatcher on it's return Migration feeding frantically on;   probably flies.    PS  if anyone finds a red cycle helmet and a small cycle computer near the scrape HCP, I would be gratefull.

Ingrebourne Valley weds 22nd august 2012

Could not find any Migrants on the Ingrebourne Hill this morning,  it's like a jungle up there but they are starting to cut the vegetation like they should, looks promising.   Meanwhile, back at the paddocks a lot of the horses have been sold off so the few that are left are not keeping the vegetation down enough in my opinion,  on top of that a handsome buzzard was sitting on the fence and a Kestrel and a Hobby were hunting in the same area,  not a temptation for a migrant to drop in really.    

Buzzard takes to the air over farmers field

Crow, Kestrel and Buzzard eye each other.

Kestrel tries to kill Buzzard

Crows take over mob handed.

Pretty little Willow Warbler

 monday at Rainham,  Kestrel

Grasshoppers view of Kestrel

Painted Ladies Rainham marshes

The Buddleia at the Aveley Bay end of the marshes at this time of the year always produce an array of butterflies and at the moment with the warm weather the area has come alive with them;    Small Tortoiseshell everywhere,  Peacocks fluttering here and there,  Red Admirals looking nautically elegant and a couple of brilliant Painted Ladies which always turn up around this time each year keeping themselves to themselves,  and a new wave of Common Blues were flittering around on the short grass.

Painted Lady

Small Tortoiseshell

Common Blue

Small Copper;  Ingrebourne Valley.

Ingrebourne Valley

Rainham Marshes and Belfairs wood

Juv Willow Warbler,  Cordite store.

Juv Chiffchaff sunbathing in peculiar positions. Cordite Store

Whibrell,   River.

Wheatear, River.

White Admiral, Belfairs Wood,  Sounding the last Hoorah.