New bird species - Chiff Chaff

A common bird but only seen on site for the first time today. Not surprisingly it was the distinctive Chiff Chaff song that alerted me to the bird and fifteen minutes with the binoculars paid off eventually.

Waterbird progeny update

There have now been three broods of mallards hatched. The first brood were originally nine but reduced to eight after a few days and are pretty much grown up now and there are still eight. Two recent broods have not stayed around but have gone off in search of better or maybe less crowded water. The second brood was eleven (but one was lost) and the third brood was nine - as shown.

There have been at least two broods of moorhens. The first was five chicks and although one of the parents died there were still some chicks when last seen. The second brood was six chicks and at least one has died and possibly more. Moorhens are diffcult birds to count.