WkWT Brandon Marsh :: 22 July 2017

Dropped into WkWT Brandon Marsh again to see if I could get a longer and better view of the green sandpiper. Not starting so early this week and so Charlotte came along too. Arrived before the Visitor Centre opened and so walk round the back and off round Grebe Pool. Suspected I saw a pair of garden warblers playing in the bushes but through substantial foliage - later confirmed from my photos. As we got into New Hares Covert we stopped and individually saw treecreeper and buzzard. As we exited onto Swallow Pool we were entertained by a whitethroat. At this point Charlotte had something in her boot and so we pushed on to the Wright Hide. From here we could see a couple of sand martins being fed by parents in the nest wall. Many more lapwing to be seen too.

Considering the time of day, the butterflies were out in number. There has been a noticeable emergence of gatekeeper. Also enjoyed the meadow brown, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, comma and various whites plus a male banded demoiselle.

We decided to turn back to the Visitor Centre for a coffee and while there had good views of many fledgling blue and great tits. We also had greenfinch and great spotted woodpecker.

Knowing that the rain would come at sometime before lunch we pushed on and stopped in the Teal Hide; from here we could see three green sandpipers. Mission accomplished. Charlotte then spotted a hobby hunting for dragonflies over the seedbed in the distance.

Nothing additional to be seen in the East Marsh Hide we stopped to look in the Carlton Hide - nothing at all ... to reward our patience a reed warbler showed briefly. Finally into the Ted Jury Hide but again pretty devoid of any views. Shame ... I think I'll wait for a new arrival before visiting again.

Sightings (39) included: blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, buzzard, canada goose, carrion crow, chaffinch, common tern, coot, dunnock, garden warbler, goldfinch, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, green sandpiper, green woodpecker, greenfinch, hobby, jackdaw, lapwing, long-tailed tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, oystercatcher, pied wagtail, reed bunting, reed warbler, robin, rock dove / feral pigeon, sand martin, sedge warbler, song thrush, swallow, treecreeper, whitethroat, woodpigeon and wren.