06/02/09
A hot and blustery day -
Categories: Week 22 - 30 May 2009, Pivot Fields
It was not an ideal day to be out birding, conditions were very hot coupled with gusting winds. However, my 6-year old son wanted some birding tuition, so who was I to say no. Images by Mike Pope
We visited the Pivot Fields but at 8am it was alreay too late for optimum birding as the temperature was around 42 degrees. As a result not many birds were around, also indicating that migration was an event of the past. We did pick up some tail end stragglers, the first in the form of a lone Collared Pratincole
There were two Marsh Harriers present and I'm not surprised as the huge numbers of House Sparrows are still an abundant food supply
We found a flock of 3 Lesser short toed Larks
A mixed flock of juvenile and adult Cream coloured Coursers were seen feeding in one of the fields and confirmation of succesful breeding
This juvenile Black Kite had me going with its odd moulting plumage, but after some consultation the ID was agreed
An unexpected sighting was a European Nightjar relaxing in the shade inside the fence of the crocodile enclosure
