A Grey Wagtail in our Waterfall

3rd September 2026

I built our pond in 2010 and it has proved to be a great hit with the local birds which use it for drinking and bathing, and also with our family as the waterfall provides a very theraputic trickling of water sound when we are sitting out on the patio on those warm summer evenings. The waterfall is so well used that I have a Waterfall List of the birds that have been seen using it.

Well, I woke up at 6.30am this morning and looked out of the bedroom window and there was a Grey Wagtail feeding in the waterfall. Not knowing how long it would stay I grabbed the camera and hung out of the bedroom window and grabbed some shots. Unfortunately the light was very poor so I was on ISA5000 and 1/640th second shutter speed and here are the results.

I have since checked my Waterfall List and this is the first Grey Wagtail since 2010 and brings my waterfall species total to 18!!!!

Two Curlew Sandpipers at Broom Gypsy Lane East

2nd September 2026

It may have been a dull drizzly day but the report of two Curlew Sandpipers at Broom was too much of a temptation. When I arrived the drizzle had abated and I could see four waders feeding in the shallows of the scrape which I assumed were all Curlew Sandpipers. However, it was only when I took a couple of shots and had a closer look that I realised that they were actually two Curlew Sandpipers and two Dunlin. The two Dunlin are on the right here................

...................behind here.................

.....................and on their own.

The two Curlew Sandpipers were both juveniles due to the pale fringes on the feathers on the mantle and wing coverts.

Well, that was a nice surprise!!!!!

Temminck's Stints at Dernford Farm Reservoir

31st August 2026

Quite a while since my last visit to Dernford and as for everywhere else the water levels were low. I was greeted by two of the usual suspects, a Pied Wagtail and one of the many juvenile Little Grebes.

The waders were concentrated in two groups, one in the north-west corner and the second half way up the eastern bank. I started in the north-west corner and this is where the trouble starts.

When I visited Dernford Reservoir for the first time about 10 years ago you could walk round and view the water's edge along the whole perimeter of the reservoir. Now the view is obscured for much of the bank due to the growth of willows on the water's edge and on the banks, and a planted Hawthorn hedge on top of the bank. As a result there are probably no more than six viewing points around the whole perimeter.

This was very evident when trying to view waders in the north-west corner as the closest viewing point was where the pipe enters the reservoir on the western bank, a distance of 160 yards as measured on Google Earth. However, I did manage to grab some record shots starting with a Green Sandpiper......................

....................a Ruff...................

.....................and a Wood Sandpiper.

The eastern bank was a lot easier with the waders being a mere 60 yards like this Common Sandpiper.

So now for the two Temminck's Stints which were in the same area as the Common Sandpiper. Sixty yards is still quite a distance for such a small bird but the glorious light helped a lot and I managed to get some shots.

So what a fantastic day with five species of wader, six if you include the Lapwings, at this tiny reservoir in the Cambridgeshire countryside, and good to have a catch-up with Stuart Fox, Paul Richardson and Stephen Elwell.

A Common Tern at Rye Meads

27th August 2026

As I arrived at Rye Meads I was aware that the third brood of Kingfishers had fledged and was therefore expecting very few cars in the car park, but in the event far more than I had expected. I was therefore expecting the Draper Hide to be fairly full. I walked up the ramp and opened the door..........to am empty hide.............. with only the sound of chasing Kingfishers in my ears.

They eventually landed in the trees to the left of the hide next to the Kingfisher bank, and after a few changes of perch both flew off and were never seen again. From the flight photo you can see brown feet which indicates a juvenile, so probably one of the Kingfisher Hide youngsters.

Of the usual suspects both Heron and Little Grebe were present right in front of the hide, with the latter feeding two young.

One of the Lapwings was getting ready for a bath and was having a soak in the shallow water.

And then splash time to get those feathers wet................

.....................before the compulsory wing flap.

There were four Snipe present which, fortunately, were feeding in the open rather than hiding in the vegetation.

What magnificent birds!!

Only one Common Sandpiper today.................

.....................but five Green Sandpipers.

But the star of the show today was the single Common Tern which kept us all entertained as it spent quite a lot of its time fishing in front of the Draper Hide before it leaves on its long migraton journey in the next few days.

Here are a few shots of its fishing attempts.

And then a well-earned rest..................

.......................and a preen to look after those precious feathers that will take it on its long journey

Well another fantastic couple of hours in the Draper Hide and good to have a catch-up with Chris Gibson, and talk cameras with Douglas.