Saturday 26th March 2016 - Pennington Flash

After a very summery Good Friday, Easter Saturday brought more blustery and occasionally wet conditions. The hides provided good cover from the wildlife as well as the weather.

The Horrocks and Edmondson hides gave us the usual birds: Mallard, Teal, Heron, Tufted Duck, Shoveller, Cormorant, Wood Pigeon, Gadwall, Canada Goose and Swans.

Ramsdale hide showed also 2 Shelduck, 3 Redshanks, and (probably) a Black-tailed Godwit.

Teal hide had Goosander, Great-crested and Little Grebe.

At Bunting hide, there was initially no activity, except for a few Magpies collected on a distant tree, despite large quantities of seeds and nuts in the feeding area. Subsequently learnt that a Sparrowhawk had just visited and dined there which seemed to explain the ghostly silence. 15 minutes later the event and 'lost friend' seemed to have been forgotten as vast numbers returned, just before a heavy downpour. Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Blue and Great Tits, Magpie, Moorhen, Mallard, Wood Pigeon, Rock Dove were all active as well as a brief visit from a Willow Tit.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniculus)

Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

Flora seen included Lesser Celandine, Coltsfoot and Dandelion. All usually yellow, but one, unopened dandelion appeared to be white or at least very pale. Couldn't quite decide what we were looking at - should really return in a few days to see what happens:

White? Dandelion (Taraxacum sp)

White? Dandelion (Taraxacum sp)

Cathy and Mike Pettipher