Lockdown - Day 14

Week 13; 25 March 2020 - Pivot Fields

I had an early morning sortee to the Pivot Fields arriving just after 6am, just inside the gate, I had this cracking male Armenian Stonechat

Armenian Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus)

A flock of Spanish Sparrow's were feeding voraciously and gorging themselves on the wheat seeds

Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis)

I headed down to the marsh where the light is favourable at this time of day; plenty Common Snipe. Always a challenge in flight with a heavy prime lens!

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

Along with a few Wood Sandpiper's

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

The Glossy Ibis was still present, but very wary and easily spooked

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

I had my first Sedge Warbler of the spring 'tacking' away at the base of the reeds

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

I suddenly heard and almost felt a whoosh go past me and looking up I saw this falconer's Peregrine Falcon that had stooped and missed what it was going for. A magnificent raptor to observe..... Also high tech, with a transmitter should it not return, which seems to happen from time to time

Captive Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

It did however put up a lot of birds, including a single Spur-winged Lapwing which I had not seen earlier

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

There were also White-tailed Lapwing's present at the marsh and it would not be surprising if they breed at this location in the coming weeks

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

As I was leaving, I noted 3 smallish Seed-eaters in the reeds, I suspect these are the Yellow-crowned Bishops that have been previously seen at this location

Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer)

Leaving the marsh, I had a Long-legged Buzzard fly past me

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

Followed by a Black Kite 

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

and later a Pallid Harrier much further away

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

Neil Tovey was also visiting the site and he told me about some Caspian Plovers. I checked the place and finally managed to locate them by walking deep into the field - cracking in summer plumage

Caspian Plover (Anarhynchus asiaticus)

They were in the company of a number of Collared Pratincole's

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)

Heading for the gate, numerous Willow Warblers on the boundary of the farm

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

A Steppe Buzzard passing by overhead

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

and a few Tree Pipit's flushed from the road to perch on the overhead lines concluded and enjoyable couple of hours

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)