Kevin Heath (@kev07713) had visited Middleton Lakes a couple of times in the week to try and see the lesser-spotted woodpecker appearing in the early morning around the car park at RSPB Middleton Lakes. He had dipped on both visits and so we hoped that third time might be lucky. We needed to be early and so skipped breakfast for the time being. We set up camp and waited - a few birders were doing the same and it appeared no one had seen it so far. Soon @David_A_Bird arrived and we chatted as we waited. The grey herons passed over regularly, commuting to and from the heronry beyond. We could see tits, redwing, crows, a pair of ravens but no lesser woodpecker. We waited until around 10.15 and eventually decided to call it a day - typically it has been seen until around 9.30.
David left for Ladywalk while we made for Whitemoor Haye as there are tree sparrows and regular merlin reported there, a male and a female - Kev had visited in the week and had nice views of a female merlin perched on a post - video posted on Twitter. After stopping for breakfast, we arrived and parked in a layby, scanning the popular spots but to no avail, neither merlin at present - we strolled along the lane and found the tree sparrows in their usual spot; new for my year list. We retreated so as not to disturb them any more than we had to, and made our way back to the car. The lapwing in one of the pits rose into the air and across the water, chased by a small raptor - a peregrine, also new for the year. It was unsuccessful in its pursuit.
We returned to look for merlin and scanned for half an hour or so but with no success - neither the male or female. We wondered how long to stay and then decided to continue on to Attenborough NR as the Pallas's warbler had been reported again - I'd seen my first in 2022 at Abingdon Water Treatment Works but not been able to get a photo. Perhaps today would be different.
We arrived and found a parking space but we couldn't pay the fee as the machine wouldn't accept the number plate text - the keyboard was only partially visible on the screen - we had to pay online later. We met two birders heading back to see the Pallas's one more time before they left - they'd had a look around the reserve after visiting the warbler earlier. We walked with them to where the bird had been showing and as I saw people raise cameras my speed increased, and I got ahead of the others - Kev had already been and ticked the bird. I was glad he'd agreed to return.
I was soon able to pick up the bird as it worked along the bushes on the opposite side of the railway tracks. Hard to get a clear shot - I was thankful to get one at all - already an improvement on Abingdon.
We saw the bird on a number of occasions but I couldn't lock on to improve my photos. We worked up and down the hedge with lots of trains passing between us and the bird and a handful of chiffchaffs could be seen in the hedge too. A cattle egret could be seen on the other side of the hedge - two new species for the year here.
The waxwings at Cranfield were reported to be showing still and so after a while we agreed to pack up and head there on the way home. As we turned to leave, people got back on the bird and I decided to take one last look - we found the bird but before I could get another photo it flew across the train line and over our heads and into trees/bushes on the water's edge. At least we thought it was the Pallas's. Three chiffchaffs showed and flew from the spot back across the train line , one by one - had we been mistaken? About two-thirds of the birders gave up and returned to looking across the line but I worked along the hedge and called an alert as I saw the bird perched on a branch on our side of the tree. I managed a quick volley of shots as the bird relocated right and a bit out of my direct view. It then took to the wing returned over the line to the hedge. Time to go.
We arrived in Cranfield and parked round the corner from the posted waxwing location. We watched and waited but the birds had apparently been flushed by a sparrowhawk and had not returned. We waited an hour but as the light was dropping we decided to pull stumps - perhaps another time ...
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