Chasing the sun

Broom mid-morning was quiet again. 10 Teal, two pairs of Shovelers. A glorious lye-in was to blame.

Brogborough Lake mid-afternoon - drake Common Scoter showing well. It was showing just off the ex-gull watchpoint diving continually. This is the last of at least 40 Common Scoter so far this spring in Beds, and I've seen all of 'em! Last year I saw zero Scoter in Beds, being away for then the few single birds turned up.

Rookery had a fantastic pair of Hobbies hunting the sides of the pit. Also a pair of Teal still. This pit is probably the best wetland site in the county, but unfortunately it's going to be developed in to a huge incinerator! No doubt the planning process with promise some sort of wetland compensation for its loss, but will deliver diddly-squat, like usual.

Will Bedfordshire ever get a decent bit of wildlife-friendly wetland? The Marston Vale Country Park could have been this, but has been turned in to a Mecca for kids and people out for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll. It charges people to walk round the 'wetland', but with its two hides you can't see out of after 9am because the sun's in your eyes, and paths that go no-where near the wet bits, it's totally missed the point. The place is a joke for the visiting naturalist, and massively frustrating as it could have been SO good! What's worse, is the same consortium have also purchased the Willington GP area, and are going to turn that in to a similar thing. We've been in contact with them, to try and influence their land use and make it slightly birder frendly, but whether this will happen is another story. High-horse now gotten off.

Willington GP early evening - good views of the Nightingale, and a single Little Egret. Also heard my first Reed Warblers chatting away in the old washout lagoon.

Several other pits looked at but bugger-all seen.