It is always good to visit my bird haunts with the Bucks Bird Club, and the trip to Little Marlow gravel pit on 5 February was no exception. Our leader was Adam Bassett who frequents the pit and knows what to look for where.
Although we did not see a great deal I learnt a lot. He told us where he sees tree creepers, water rail, and snipe for instance. He is an expert on gulls, visiting the roost here regularly, and was hoping to see a wide range of gulls, but we had to be content with black-headed and common.
The heronry on the far bank is one of the largest in Buckinghamshire.
The herons and cormorants were already nesting.
Many cormorants showed the white breeding patch
A sparrowhawk flew overhead. On the spit there were lapwings and a dozing buzzard. At the slightest disturbance the lapwings flew up.
We walked round to Little Marlow. Just south of the church we had a chance sighting of a kingfisher, a highlight for me and my first this year.
A flock of linnets flew from the birches overhead. Adam said there were redpolls among them but they were too quick for me to distinguish them.
We came back over the fields, enjoying skylarks and linnets, and returned to the lake which was tranquil.
On my next visit I shall look out for the birds in the places suggested by Adam. It is always a pleasure to go there.
CampaignerKate 