Tuesday 16th May

I arrived at New Hythe for a pre work visit at 05.50 this morning and parked by the Water Works entrance. It was fairly overcast and neither of the Nightingale that are usually here were singing. I scanned the scrape and only found a solitary Lapwing and a few BH Gulls. A Sedge Warbler was singing from the scrub on one of the islands.

I walked over towards the pond to see if the Brent Goose was still around but I couldn't find it in a brief search - although there were good numbers of Greylag with goslings in tow. A few Herring Gulls and a LBB Gull on Tesco Lake.

About a dozen Swifts were overhead and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing as I walked towards the open area. I also disturbed a Water Vole that plopped into the ditch as I crossed the bridge. The only birds of note around the open areas were 5 Whitethroat, a Nightingale and a further Lesser Whitethroat.

A fox wandered past before I crossed the railway and had a brief scan over Abbey Mead which was very quiet. I then walked back towards the scrape where I saw two more Water Vole (up until today I had only seen one here all year!) and had a a quick go at photographing this Water Violet (Hottonia palustris) in the ditch by the scrape now that the light had improved.

Only a 45 minute flying visit but very quiet today.