26th Aug - sunny spells, very warm, 24C, light NW

Loughborough; A Hoopoe has been seen around an house area for a few days so this morning I decided to go and have a look. It had been seen first thing feeding on lawns in the favoured area, of course when I arrived it had just flown off over the houses.  So, searching by the gathered birders began, after 2 hours it still had not been re-located and I had to leave.  Although I did spot some interesting fungus in grass under a tree.

I returned a little later and the Hoopoe was sitting found on a pavement next to a road, it flew off over he houses.  Fortunately it eventually returned to its favoured lawn, where the lady resident was kind enough to let people in to her house to view the bird on her lawn, here I managed some photos too.

Shawell Laggons;  On the way back I visited here to see what Gulls I could find, I had begun checking the Gulls when 2 Green Sandpipers flew passed and settled on the shore.  Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were present among the many Lesser Black Backed Gulls, I also found two LBBGs which were colour rings, one read as J374L, the other I could not read, we'll have to see where this one was ringed.

Stanford reservoir; This morning the ringers here had a very good catch, ringing 129 Whitethroat and 170 Blackcap plus other species including 2 Redstart, taking the total to 408.  Its amazing to think that so many birds are passing through on migration, most unseen when you go out birding.
Anyhow I popped here late afternoon to see the reported Wheatear, I did not find them, but did see a Spotted Flycatcher and the Greenshank.