A Nightingale Sang In ..................................

It was pastures new, again today with my first visit to Paxton Pits in Cambridgeshire. Being an "early bird" myself I left home at 0500. Driving down the A14 at 70mph, I was aware of a car overtaking me at great speed and soon disappearing into the distance. As it passed me, I glanced over to see it was being driven by a white haired old lady of about 80, grasping the steering wheel with true determination, and sat beside her was an even older lady with the facial expression of a dogs bum! I was gobsmacked - they left me standing!

Arriving at Paxton Pits, I began to get my bearings and headed for the Heron Trail where Di Stone had told me was best for Nightingales. A local chap soon caught me up and told me that an obliging Nightingale could be seen and heard near the bench just past Kingfisher Hide - well it was there but I would not say it was obliging and it led me a merry dance!

This area also proved something of a Warbler fest with Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler all competing to see who was the loudest! Close by a single Turtle Dove hugged the tree tops.

I walked all of The Heron Trail, River Walk and Meadow Trail and a list of birds seen can be found at the end of the post. Unfortunately, the photographic opportunities were not great with most of the birds that showed well being in direct sun. Still, it was a great day.

Nightingale

Common Whitethroat

Todays Sightings:

Goldfinch; Willow Warbler; Jackdaw; Wood Pigeon; Blackbird; Black Headed Gull; Cuckoo; Blue Tit; Cormorant; Dunnock; House Martin; Robin; Rook; Carrion Crow; Green Woodpecker; Mute Swan; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Nightingale; Great Tit; Magpie; Chaffinch; Grey Heron; Grey Lag Goose; Great Crested Grebe; Common Tern; Collared Dove; Greenfinch; Chiffchaff; Coot; Tufted Duck; Wren; Long Tailed Tit; Bullfinch; Whitethroat; Garden Warbler; Blackcap; Pheasant; Sedge Warbler; Canada Goose; Mallard; Turtle Dove; Sand Martin; Lapwing; Reed Bunting; Skylark; Sparrowhawk; Song Thrush; LBB Gull; Kingfisher; Jay; Lesser Whitethroat; Moorhen; Cettis Warbler; Swift; Pochard; Swallow; House Sparrow; Buzzard; Reed Warbler.