Passage Migrants at Amwell & King's Meads 5th & 6th September 2021

9/10/2021

It's the time of year when anything can turn up and despite missing both Pied and Spotted Flycatchers at Amwell you have to keep hoping! The Ruddy Shelduck had been reported again on the morning of the 5th at Amwell. It has been elusive, but when I got there it was sat on the island and then had a few flights, aggressively chasing first a Cormorant and then a Greylag before once again flying off South.

Also at the Viewpoint a little later was this Yellow-legged Gull.

The next step was a walk up to the top of Widbury Hill behind Amwell. The higher ground sometimes attracts migrating birds and I have seen Wheatear here in the past. A Whinchat had been seen near here a couple of days before, and sure enough one was present as I arrived. One of my favourite birds, especially with their habit of posing in the open!

The following day I had a walk down to King's Meads for a Wheatear, but before that a chance to photograph some Willow Emeralds.

The Wheatear had taken up position on some Heras fencing around a new compound where silt from the New River was being stored before being removed. It was also proving popular with this Grey Heron.