SUNDAY 20th June 2004 - Martin Grant

Mute Swans 2, a pair of Ruddy Ducks, male Tufted Duck, Barn Owl first seen 8.30pm, Kestrel, Red Legged Partridge on the tiled barn in the distant right. Green Sandpiper, Black Headed Gull, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, House Martin, Greenfinch Goldfinch, Stock Dove.

FRIDAY 25th June - John Keeling

Ruddy Duck 3, Little Grebe, Sedge Warbler, Grey Heron, Mistle Thursh 4, House Martin Swallow.

Jon Lloyd

After a fairly wet week the weather changed again on Friday. By the time I visited the Wall the late afternoon sun had really warmed things. The hedges around the farm were full of small birds, a party of Yellowhammers, with young in tow, flitted around in the lower branches of bigger trees near the entrance to the farm drive. Crossing the first bridge along the lane I came across another family group, this time Whitethroats. The parent got quite excited as I approached uttering brisk alarm calls and metallic clicks warning the young birds in the hedge bottom. The outlying fields to the east were fairly quiet except for the odd Skylark rising into the blue sky singing on route. The Glebe (this is apparently the old field name for what I have always called the Hawthorn paddock), seemed fairly still and I paused on one of the two bridges over the Strine to look for Kingfisher which I had seen here in recent weeks. The bridge on the Strine at the far end of Glebe was very lively. There we 12 -20 Long tailed Tits here possibly two sets of parents and all their young together. I stood quietly and they came head height, onto the branches of Hawthorn near me, the young birds with a wash of brown through the normally black plumage sat and got very excited when parents came near. There we great tits and Blue Tits here and two tiny, very untidy looking Goldcrests. A family party of 5 Mistle Thrush flew into the trees alongside the Strine and sat there preening and sere still there when I left.

The wooded lane produced singing Chiffchaff but only half a song! Goldfinches and Greenfinches seemed fairly plentiful.

The pools were very still with clounds of insects rising in mists over the evening pools like mist. Dragonflies flew amongst them feeding spoilt for choice. At least two families of Coots out ont he water.

The large fat chicks harrying their mother for food, pecking at their bills and feathers to entice them to pay up. A pair of Tufted duck flew in and out and then back. On all occasion fast low and making lots of noise - not sure what all this was about. A single Grey Heron took to the skies pursued vigorously by a Black Headed Gull fearful for its nest. A dogged aerial battle followed, the sleek and sharp light wings a sharp contrast to the ungainly width and awkward movement of the dark winged Heron, desperate to avoid being hit by the gull.

The cattle roamed amongst he heady grasses and lay down to the sleep in the afternoon sun, only revealed by the sudden swish of tail or flicking ear visible behind or above the grass. Lots of Reed Bunting everywhere, the males singing on any vegetation on there patch there was cut above the rest. A Reed Warbler crossed to the island and was visible for a short while before it was lost in the depth of a mint thicket and a Sedge warbler sang rather half heartedly on a couple of occasions.

Returning from the hide I heard a Tawny Owl call from a tree on the roadside. A single Little Owl sat on the lower bars of the tree protectors seemingly unperturbed by the passing cattle.