New June record

I picked up the hide notes today and found Geoff's Raven record on the 23rd adding another species for the month. I feel we are on safe ground to assume Little Owl & Lesser Whitethroat are here and even Peregrine visits each month, adding 3 more to the 88 confirmed.

This is 4 more than the 2010 & 2012 record, which means we only have December left to break the 90 barrier, the current record being 86 in 2010. It shouldn't be impossible to beat as January this year we hit 90, without Ruff, Dunlin, Med Gull, or Meadow Pipit.

That is 3 new record counts and an equal 1st in 2016, I find that remarkable, in fact if we count all top 3 positions, 2016 has scored in every month;

Jan - New 1st by 3
Feb - =2nd
Mar - New 1st by 4
Apr - New 3rd by 2
May - =1st
June - New 1st by 4

Of note in June were the high counts of Little Egret, 9/7th (Bert May) and 5/18th (BTB & RNM), also the 3 Redshank over 18th (D W Jones) is unusual and we really should make an effort to see if the Little Grebes are definitely breeding on Mungell's.

I hope we get some dry weather to attract some more waders this month, Curlew, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit and long awaited Little Stint and Pectoral Sandpiper are on my radar.

This morning I checked out Lea Farm GP for the first time since the work party, good to see the water has dropped a great deal with juv BH Gulls able to stand in the SW corner, a Common Sandpiper on the grass bank behind, with Richard finding Green Sandpiper after I left.