A very quiet morning walk – just three of us in attendance today. We had very few birds in the rather warm August sunshine, though there were several twittering flocks of Goldfinches en route.. The usual stop by the railway arch yielded Goldcrest, Coal Tit, and Stock Dove, plus a distant Green Woodpecker. On the levels a single Grey Heron was visible, a couple of House Martins flew over, and as we neared the gate back to the railway line a scan revealed a single Lapwing. A close view of a Bullfinch here was probably the highlight of the morning. A young Buzzard was mewing plaintively, then we saw one perched on top of a small tree. At the heronry, a Little Egret and another Heron was sitting in the guano covered tree, while two more Herons flew in. One landed near a nest and proceeded to pose in a very unorthodox manner with neck held high and wings outstretched. No Cormorants there today.

Near Stretham a Blackcap tacked loudly from a bush, but we didn’t see it. The overflow pit was dry and nothing there apart from maybe a Reed Warbler calling – weren’t sure about that. At New Inn Farm there were Greenfinches calling, several House Sparrows on the tiles of the low barn, a Pied Wagtail and a young Whitethroat feeding in an elder and on the roof. We came straight back along the bridleway, where Swallows were flying around around the trees and stables at Canons.

Plants noted were rather splendid Purple Loosestrife in the damp field between the railway line and the “limbo” path and some flowering rush in the overflow pit. There were Banded demoiselle flies at both Stretham and Bineham Bridges

I only made it 30 bird species seen and heard during the walk. (VB)