Wintersett Washout 15.05.13

 6 degrees, grey,  heavy rain very early morning, then showers on and off to midday.  Horrendous conditions  and very disappointing passage compared to other sites nearby. 
Wintersett Res: Pochard 1 male and 1 female.
Anglers CP: A Ringed Plover,  4 Dunlin NW at 10.15 hrs  and  5 Common Gulls N (4 1st Summers and 1 adult)  were the only notable migrants.  The first pair of  Oystercatchers have hatched young.   Yellow Wagtail 2,  Common Tern 3,   Common Sandpiper 1,  Meadow Pipit 1.  The regular Goldeneye female and  the 3rd Summer Yellow-legged and Lesser Blackbacked Gulls were here. A calling Cuckoo briefly tried to cheer us up.  A Dunlin dropped in this afternoon but the amazing spectacle today was the huge number of 1500 Swift and hirundines (700 Swallow including the juvenile bird,  300 House Martin  and 20 Sand Martin) over the lake.
Thanks to Lynz Harston  for the following photos taken on Monday 13.05.13

Swallow                                    L Harston

Swallow                                          L Harston

Swallows                                                L Harston