Pied and Grey Wagtails

Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba

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On Wednesday I joined a work party at Mill Hill where we cleared up a lot of the mess left by contractors. The Grizzled Skippers should be flying soon, we need some warm days to trigger them. Last year they were on the wing during the last week of March, so the recent cold weather has delayed their emergence.

Afterwards I visited Arundel WWT and was rewarded with pairs of Pied and Grey Wagtails strutting in front of the Sand Martin hide.

Mill Hill:

Arundel WWT:

Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Black-headed Gulls

 The air was full of the raucous calls of these gulls.

Canada Geese, Branta canadensis

Canada Goose

Egyptian Goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus

Egyptian Goose landing

Egyptian Goose after dabbling

Egyptian Goose manicure

Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba

Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea

Garganey, Anas querquedula

Mrs Garganey

Lapwing (Peewit), Vanellus vanellus

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, female on nest

Her nest by the path, but she is so well camouflaged I would not have spotted her is her drake had not been nearby.

Pintails, Anas acuta

Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus