A Bit of Colour Brightens the Day

Monday was a less than exciting day, cutting paths was enlivened by a Kingfisher beside the Ivy North hide when I opened up, not a great picture as it was a bit dark and distant, but prolonged views of these birds are always something special.
From the Ivy South hide I could see that there were at least 32 Common Tern chicks that either were or could fly. I had earlier seen three on Ibsley Water, probably the first brood to have flown and there are still two broods of smaller chicks and one sitting bird. We could see over forty Common Tern fledged! An extraordinary total from the sixteen or seventeen pairs that have nested. Normally a colony is regarded as having had a successful breeding season if it fledges an average of one chick per pair.

Otherwise highlights were few, a noisy mower and ear defenders make experiencing the environment difficult. A patch of Musk Mallow flowers on the Rockford path, although not rare always look as though their flowers are too big to be wild.

Also from the Rockford path I saw a Green Sandpiper and 2 Little Egret, I have seen very few Little Egret this year at Blashford, they have become much less common since I started here in 2006.