Page 12 - Out Birding Autumn 2023

and sunny with a good forecast. The party consisted of 10 members, one we were all delighted to see on her first GBC event since a serious accident.
Standing in the car park wai􏰀ng for the party to assemble we were overflown by a small group of Linnet and treated to a Barn Swallow taking food to its nest in a barn through a small hole in the gable end. Si􏰁ng by the hole, a Blue Tit seemed to puzzle over the Swallow’s repeated appearance and disappearance. Around the feeder were Dunnock, Crow, Blackbird and Pied Wagtail and out on the marsh a group of Li􏰂le Egret stood out against the muddy channels.
On the lake were Coot and Mallard with a Ce􏰁’s Warbler singing in nearby bushes. A li􏰂le further on a Reed Warbler sung from the top of a dead tree compe􏰀ng with a number of singing Nigh􏰀ngale from all around. The reserve is renown for the visi􏰀ng Nigh􏰀ngales and, this year, has recorded 30 breeding pairs. Although sadly not visible today, their lively and tuneful song was the theme of the day. A ‘nonconforming’ Blackcap staked his territory on Nigh􏰀ngale Walk; there was some debate about whether the Blackcap, another name for which is the Irish Nigh􏰀ngale, had a sweeter song than the Nigh􏰀ngale.
The Estuary Viewpoint was not par􏰀cularly produc􏰀ve, but we were able to add
Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Shelduck and Black- tailed Godwit. Moving to the sandy area around the gravel hoppers a Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat were singing in neighbouring treetops.
Pausing at Ki􏰂s Pond, several Common Blue Damselfly, electric blue in the sunshine, ski􏰂ered between the reeds. On the way to Kingfisher Hide a Kestrel overflew the marsh and we could hear a lively Cuckoo which, once located, was clearly showing. Probably the same Cuckoo was visible in silhoue􏰂e as we made our way to the inter- 􏰀dal Margaret Hide; were we in any doubt about ID, it was now adop􏰀ng the charac- teris􏰀c tail-raised and wing-dropped posture.
From the Margaret Hide we added to the list Grey Heron, Tu􏰃ed Duck, Rook, Herring Gull, Pochard, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan and Cormorant but no waders. As we made our way back to the centre for a lunch break, we walked up the eponymous Adder Alley where a male adder was basking in the sunshine whilst Skylark sang above.
Refreshed and refuelled we moved to the wooded area of the reserve. In the dappled trees to the side of the path a noisy bunch of Long-tailed Tit were larking around, when we finally got a good fix on their rapidly moving bodies, we found them to be a small family of very young birds, ‘fun-sized’, might be an apt descrip􏰀on. Working our way through the woods we added Pheasant, Goldfinch, Great Spo􏰂ed Woodpecker, Coal Tit and Wood Pigeon and Song Thrush. And in the distance the strange bark of a Muntjac Deer.
We arrived at the Trout Pools and, already, there was much insect ac􏰀vity, with 12