22 AUGUST 2024 - RYE MEADS RSPB RESERVE, HERTS

Just a quick visit to this reserve to see a pair of Garganey that had turned up recently on the reserve. John and Mike picked me up at 0910 hrs and we were there before 10.00 hrs.

The conditions were difficult for birdwatching, very dull, with very strong westerlies, and drizzle threatening. A few House Martins and a couple of Swallows were observed after moving through the Reserve Visitor Centre, and we also saw a lone Swift.

At Draper Hide the first interesting birds we saw was a group of four juvenile Green Sandpipers, although they were somewhat distant, and didn’t really move about or feed much whilst we were there. We didn’t have to wait long, although initially there was no sight of the Garganeys, but John soon picked up a male in his scope at the back of the lake; it was in eclipse plumage so it didn’t readily stand out it out amongst Teal and Gadwall - that is until one got one’s eye in so to speak, and could make out the very pale supercilium. We spent a while watching it as it swam around quite contentedly, raking its bill through the shallow water, until we moved off to the next hide where a Great (White) Egret had been reported; but there was very little else on the scrape other than the Teal; a few Gadwalls; Moorhens; Black-headed Gulls; Stock Doves, and a couple of Lapwings.

At the Gadwall Hide, the Great Egret was seen almost immediately, but it was some distance away, so photography wasn’t going to be a cinch, but this elegant bird was continually engaged in catching fish and could be observed raking the waters to disturb its prey, appearing perfectly at home in its surroundings. There were at least two Little Egrets nearby, and many Coots; Teal and some Mallards; a large group of mainly Black-headed Gulls selection of Gulls, and a few Mute Swans.

At the adjacent Tern Hide, there were many House Martins scooping down over the lake, together with a few Sand Martins and Swallows. There were a lot of Teal, with one or two Pochard; an adult Little Grebe and two juveniles;  a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a Magpie or two on the tern raft. At the back of the lake, at least one Great Crested Grebe could be seen. Later, a lone Migrant Hawker Dragonfly was seen, rather surprising given the windy conditions.

GREEN SANDPIPERS 

GARGANEY

GARGANEY

GREAT EGRET

GREAT EGRET

GREAT EGRET