I spent a few hours this morning birding with Malc Curtin on my old patch, Marbury County Park. Our main target was the Bittern, but it seems to have moved on, having not been seen for over a week. Despite a thorough search, we were only rewarded with the distinctive call of a Water Rail. The rest of the morning was spent wandering the patch and taking a few photographs. Highlights included a Grey Heron, Nuthatch, Robin, Reed Bunting, and a pair of elegant Great Crested Grebes—proof that even on quiet mornings, there’s plenty to enjoy on the patch.
Beautiful day on the patch
Great Crested Grebe
Reed Bunting
Nuthatch
Robin
Grey Heron
After our walk, I headed to Newchurch Common, where I located the red-headed Smew. Unfortunately, the bird remained asleep throughout my visit, and worsening weather meant I had to leave before getting any decent photographs.
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 Smew Just as I was leaving, I received a text from Malc with some exciting news: the Northern Harrier had finally been accepted onto the British list—a long-awaited armchair tick that had taken five years to come through. Happy days indeed!
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