Hadham Hall and Amwell Visits

A morning wander to check if any migrants were about in the north of the parish. None were seen, but a breeding coot was found on the hall pond.

Around the little nature plot at the hall were some new plants for the year, mainly field forget me not, cuckooflower and honesty. Lesser celandine and primroses were also in bloom

field forget me not

cuckooflower

Honesty

Birdwise, a chiffchaff and blackcap were busy advertising their territory as well as dunnock, robin, wood pigeon and great and blue tits.

chiffchaff

blackcap

dunnock

peacock

All in all, a wonderful little site and this fine peacock butterfly was also fl
Following this I headed off to Amwell, where I was pleased to come across a first year little gull. This is an uncommon inland bird and it showed well, before departing to the west with a few black headed gulls. However, it has done this before, only to return so it may well be seen again.
Also present, a new for the year for me, was a pair of little ringed plovers. These were feeding on the mud near the viewing point. Other birds, noted were more blackcaps and chiffchaffs, cormorants, common buzzards, shoveler, mallard, redshank, gadwall, little egrets, grey heron black headed, herring, lesser black backed gulls etc, but again, no migrants apart from the lrp and warblers.

little ringed plover

little gull

little gull (right hand bird)

mallard and redshank

redshanks

gadwall pair

little ringed plover