Reports 2009-2010

Amwell  & Rye Meads 12th September 2009

Our visit to the Lea Valley was our first trip of the new season.

The weather was hot and sunny. We welcomed three new members on this trip.

The first stop was Amwell Gravel Pits where we walked through the woods.

Here we saw chiffchaff and blackcap, plus great, blue and long-tailed tits. A large quantity of blackbirds and a song thrush were feeding on the bushes abundant with berries. A sparrowhawk was being mobbed by crows; little grebe were whinnying from the lake that is mostly hidden by trees.

From the White Hide a Snipe was feeding just in front of us. He was not disturbed by a grass snake which slithered by. A Kingfisher landed on a post a few yards away before diving into the lake and returning to the post with a fish. Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper were feeding. Ducks included mallard, gadwall, tufted, pochard and shoveller.

From the viewpoint four hobbies were seen, a buzzard also flew over.

Our next stop was Rye Meads RSPB Reserve. The Draper hide produced many gadwall, shoveller, teal and a couple pairs of little grebe. The water levels were very high for any of the expected green sandpipers. Another kingfisher was seen. The kingfisher hide had a board giving the history of the kingfisher that nested this year. Six young fledged in June.

A bird count of approx 48 species was reasonable for early September.

Dave Jones (photographs by Stuart Harrison)

Juvenile Great Crested Grebe

Snipe

Gadwall