Today far fewer starlings flying north. Yesterday over 1,000 in a couple of hours with some lingering to feed on the fields. However at 10.00 this morning a bittern appeared from the reeds at the end of Cork's drove to stand in the sun. Also a female stonechat was in the lane with 2 chiffchaffs.
I failed to locate the white-fronts yesterday and their preferred grazing patch is now occupied with 5 greylags. Also yesterday there were two more greylags on Powderham marshes with 44 linnets and c20 chaffinches. A pair of red-legged partridges were probable escapees from the Powderham shoot.