82 in the rain
Driving to Beddington Sewage Farm, I was listening to the Met Office weather report at 04.30hrs this morning. It 'promised' a fairly grey, but dry morning in the London area until a band of persistent rain early afternoon. My car windscreen told a conflicting story with the wipers working away dispersing the light drizzle settling upon it.
So it came to pass that the BFBG Spring bird race took part in a cold, grey, heavy drizzle, with the odd spell of more annoying rain. This meant two things - firstly, it was good for waders, and secondly it made hard work of being out in the field winkling out passerines. We are lucky enough to have an open metal hide that overlooks the north lake, which manages to keep the worst of the weather from the huddled masses.
There was a good turn out. At least 15 members were present, most of them for good lengths of time. A minimum of 82 species were recorded, highlights being an Iceland Gull; singles of Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover; six Ringed Plover; three Little Ringed Plovers; five Whimbrel; two Common Terns; a Peregrine; a Hobby; plenty of hirundines and Swifts plus our resident singing Cetti's Warbler. Not bad for an urban sewage farm.
A great day of banter and soggy clothing...
So it came to pass that the BFBG Spring bird race took part in a cold, grey, heavy drizzle, with the odd spell of more annoying rain. This meant two things - firstly, it was good for waders, and secondly it made hard work of being out in the field winkling out passerines. We are lucky enough to have an open metal hide that overlooks the north lake, which manages to keep the worst of the weather from the huddled masses.
There was a good turn out. At least 15 members were present, most of them for good lengths of time. A minimum of 82 species were recorded, highlights being an Iceland Gull; singles of Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover; six Ringed Plover; three Little Ringed Plovers; five Whimbrel; two Common Terns; a Peregrine; a Hobby; plenty of hirundines and Swifts plus our resident singing Cetti's Warbler. Not bad for an urban sewage farm.
A great day of banter and soggy clothing...
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