With a completely clear sky, full sunshine and very little wind, it was a pretty warm morning at Deeping Lakes. The car said it was 27C when I left about 11am! The East Pit is looking good at the moment with plenty of islands and shallow water and breeding is in full swing. Many Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a few Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls and a good number of Common Terns nest on these islands. Some of the Common Tern nest sites are remarkably close to the easterly viewing screen (nearest the road). I suppose there was a lot less human activity than usual whilst they were settling in. Here is some video (shot using my mobile phone through the telescope) of a couple of pairs of Common Terns courting and at a nest (sorry, there is no sound).
Other species are further on and there were numerous family parties of Greylag and a few of Mallard. On The Lake, the Cormorants are also well on with many nests with well grown chicks. Noisy and messy creatures!
The warblers are a bit quieter now - presumably they are mostly paired up and busy with nesting, so far less singing going on. Reed Warblers were rattling away everywhere and Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Cetti's all gave occasional bursts of song. I though I could hear a distant Lesser Whitethroat several time and I eventually found where it was singing - from the south side of the river right at the west end of the site. The inevitable couple of Egyptian Geese were also sat on the bank of the River Welland. Anything up to 4-5 seem to be permanently around these days.
Altogether a pleasant morning, although a bit warm for my taste, and my BirdTrack list was 48 species - not too bad!
Trip: 26 miles, 5kWh
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