2nd Sept - cloudy most of the day, brightening late pm, light Westerly, 19C

30+ Swallows were feeding low over the grass fields first thing this morning, then this evening they were all over the village again, much chatter and song in their pre-roost flights, sometime between 1945 and 2000h they vanish to their roost.

During the morning I visited Frolesworth manor lake to see if any migrants were in.  On arrival some 20 House martins and a few Swallows were busy feeding near the car park.  On the lake the Great-crested Grebe pair had one juvenile that was calling for food but they were unimpressed by its calling.

 juv Great-crested Grebe

Great-crest grebe pair, with Tufted Duck passing by

A number of Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Tree Sparrow were around the hedges and track.  A few Chiffchaff were in the thick hedge calling and chasing other small birds, a Whitethroat popped up out of the hedge and chased a Yellowhammer.

Back at the car park a Red Kite appeared from behind the office building quite low, the House martins were agitated and a few buzzed it.  I managed to point the camera a get a couple of quick photos before it drifted off.  Of course the light was terrible, never-the-less still worth a record photo.

 Red Kite being buzzed by House Martins

Red Kite - look at the tail 'steering'

During the afternoon I had a walk at Stanford reservoir, the highlights were a Little Egret flying over the dam, a good range of Warblers (including Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat) roaming with Tits and Goldcrest. Not unsurprisingly a Sparrowhawk hunted the hedgerows.  Duck included Gadwall, Shoveler and Pochard. A family of five Little grebes included 3 juveniles, maybe they bred in a quite corner this year.

Plenty of Speckled Wood and several Dragonfly still.