Another Quaker

Really misty to start with today, it cleared very strangely from over Ibsley Water as I watched. The wind was from the north but the mist on the eastern half of the lake suddenly cleared, but it stayed on the western half, very odd effect. I could see no sign of an black-necked grebe today and although I failed to see one there were 2 little ringed plover reported again.

As I went to open the Ivy South hide I heard a falcon calling, then a peregrine carrying prey came low over the silt pond pursued by a calling crow, not something I really expected to see there. Once the peregrine had gone I could hear another "kee, kee, kee" call, this time it was the lesser spotted woodpecker somewhere near the Ivy South hide. I could not find it at the hide but on my way back it was in the top of one of the alders beside the silt pond.

The moth trap was busy again, mostly with small and common Quakers, but also one new species for the year, a powdered Quaker, not perhaps the most spectacular of moths, but about the only picture I got today.
Fourteen volunteers came in today and we were working around the main car park, generally tidying up, beefing up the dead hedges, putting wood treatment on the back of the hide and fixing the map board.

At lunchtime I went to the Tern hide, leaving the Centre to the visiting school group. I was pleased I did as an adult little gull was flying about over the lake, the first of the year. It was still in winter plumage so did not have a black head, but the sooty underwings were striking, they are very elegant birds.