An afternoon stroll through Hadham Hall and on to the lagoon to the east. Nothing moving overhead as I searched for swallows, martins and any other migrants, just resident skylarks, goldfinches, wood pigeons, corvid species and a single red kite. At the lagoon there were children playing and building rafts. Superb to see children out enjoying themselves, getting wet and having a laugh. Suppose someone may come along and complain about: noise, safety, litter, trespassing etc etc and suggest they should be at home. Probably the same folk who moan that children spend too much time at home on their phones, i pads and computers! Anyway, they were all polite and pleasant to me as I wandered by, commenting on their raft. Well done to Tiggy, Kian, Willow and all of them.
Consequently, little was seen on or around the lagoon. However, what was there was of interest as a greylag goose was feeding on the ground, before taking flight and landing on the water. Only 3rd parish record. Chiffchaffs called from New Spring Wood before I chatted with Dennis the gamekeeper. He told of a local wheatear and a flock of 80 golden plover on local fields. The plovers I had noted but the wheatear made me think it is time I got up and out early to check the local golf course, a regular spring time haunt of theirs. Dennis was also happy to see and hear children out in the countryside, making rafts and having a laugh and stealing each others bikes whilst leaving trainers, t shirts and assorted rucksacks all over the banks of the lagoon.
Back at Hadham Hall a willow warbler was fly catching but tricky to photo as there were 3 chiffchaffs about as well as flycatching blackcaps, robins and at least 5 chaffinches.
A coal tit called from the conifers as I arrived back at the car, so all in all, a good wander, with 2 peacock butterflies as well.
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| red kite over Hadham Hall |
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| greylag goose coming in to land |
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| 3rd parish record of greylag goose |
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| 1st willow warbler of the year |
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| distant rotund blackcap |
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| always good to see a willow warbler |
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