Tuesday 27th May: Wood Sandpiper + Oystercatchers
Overnight, heavy rain which had stopped by morning leaving things overcast, cool but dry.
The recent heavy rain has left the Meadow floods freshly topped-up with some re-flooded grass areas. At the north end of the floods, close (~30m) to the Burgess Field NR gate a WOOD SANDPIPER was happily wading through the newly flooded grass. Whether it's the same one as two days ago which has returned (or which was missed in yesterday's atrocious weather) is unknown but it was great to have it there.
Also grazing on the flooded grass was a drake GARGANEY. There have been a number of garganey seen in the Abingdon area yesterday so there are plenty around.
At the usual river end of the north floods channel, this morning were 13 RINGED PLOVER accompanied by 3 DUNLIN.
The wood sandpiper spent the day skulking in the flooded grass (© Adam Hartley)
At 5pm the sandpiper was still present in the same place though there was no sign of the garganey. 3 OYSTERCATCHERS flew over, circled a couple of times and then headed off south. There was also a COMMON TERN hunting over the floods. It dived repeatedly and once caught a small fish.
The recent heavy rain has left the Meadow floods freshly topped-up with some re-flooded grass areas. At the north end of the floods, close (~30m) to the Burgess Field NR gate a WOOD SANDPIPER was happily wading through the newly flooded grass. Whether it's the same one as two days ago which has returned (or which was missed in yesterday's atrocious weather) is unknown but it was great to have it there.
Also grazing on the flooded grass was a drake GARGANEY. There have been a number of garganey seen in the Abingdon area yesterday so there are plenty around.
At the usual river end of the north floods channel, this morning were 13 RINGED PLOVER accompanied by 3 DUNLIN.
The wood sandpiper spent the day skulking in the flooded grass (© Adam Hartley)
At 5pm the sandpiper was still present in the same place though there was no sign of the garganey. 3 OYSTERCATCHERS flew over, circled a couple of times and then headed off south. There was also a COMMON TERN hunting over the floods. It dived repeatedly and once caught a small fish.