I very pleasant visit from 08.00 to 09.30, warm sunshine and hundreds of swifts feeding over the pools. Like many today I spent too long trying to scrutinize each bird - all common swifts. Also a few swallows including 3 recently fledged young and about 30 house martins.
On the pools nearest the canal were a few black-headed gulls (c30) and one 2s Med gull. Ducks included 17 mallard, 5 wigeon (1 male in eclipse), 2 teal (pair) and 1 garganey. On the muddy margins to the pools were 16 little egrets, one redshank and 5 black-tailed godwits (3 in sp). Elsewhere singing sedge, reed and Cettis warblers and at least 3 singing blackcaps. About 200 starlings, mostly juveniles suggests they might have had a reasonable breeding season.
