Rye Meads in Early Summer

29th May 2014

As for Amwell, everything has now settled down for the breeding season, but as luck would have it the water level in front of the Draper Hide had dropped a tad revealing a lot more beaches. The Little Grebes were parading in front of the hide as usual, and who can resist one more shot just in case it comes out better than the last 300.

Also the Lapwings were walking round posing, only flying off at great pace when a crow or other potential predator flew over the lagoon. Just look at the kaleidoscope of colours in that bird.

The Common Terns are not nesting yet as their rafts have been taken over by a sea of Black-headed Gulls. Their strategy now is to wait until the Black-headed Gull chicks have left the rafts and then have a late brood, a strategy that seems to be working. I thought at first this female was begging for food, but I think she just wanted some eggs, as in the second photo there is a female under there somewhere.

The slightly unexpected bird today was an early autumn migrant, a Common Sandpiper. At this time of year they should be on their breeding grounds so I suspect this was a non or failed breeder returning early.