Alone at NCW

The last time I visited North Cave Wetlands it was very busy as there was a red necked phalarope.
This afternoon there was just me and the rain.
I parked outside South hide and took a fold up chair with me as all the benches have been removed.

Not a great deal of bird activity. Swifts and sand martins flying low looking for insects, black headed gulls screaming at each other. A single common tern was trying to hunt for fish but the black headed gulls kept annoying it.

I returned to my car to find a deposit on my windscreen. Driving through the rain had ensured a nice clean windscreen, now there were 4 lots of dirt on it!
I drove up to the Crossland hide and was able to sit next to the window and watch the birds on the lagoon.Once again not many birds. In previous years I have been able to see avocets and ringed plovers on the islands, not today.

Mallard ducklings were feeding at the edge of the water

a family of greylag geese walked past

a reed bunting was singing from the top of a bush.

Mr and Mrs tufted were asleep

A family of great crested grebes were present.

On my way home I called in at North Duffield Carrs. The only visible wateris in front of the Geoff Smith hide and I could not see any birds on it. 9 curlew were flying and calling further out on the ings, but apartfrom those it was very quiet bird wise.