Gayhurst

A leisurely walk around Gayhurst Quarry this morning.
From my vantage point over the fishing pit the main species seen was Wigeon, easily 300 both on the lake and grazing on the field in front. A few Tufties, Greylags and Mute Swans and also a single Little Grebe.
It was here that I noticed what looked like Badger latrines - small holes with fresh droppings inside - there was also grey coloured hair caught on the barbed wire fence. I had never realised there were Badgers here.
Walking around to the Motorway Pit there were 4 Little Egrets, a male Goldeneye (first one here this winter)lots of Mallard, more Wigeon, a few Tufties, Pochard, Gadwall, a couple of Teal and a single Great crested Grebe.
Over the river and up to Quarryhall, where there were a couple of dozen each of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, a Buzzard, a Kestrel and a pair of Stock Doves.
From this point I scanned the mixed Swan and Goose flock in the nearby field and was surprised to see a Black Swan happily grazing in amongst the Mutes, Greylags and Canadas.
A flock of around 50 Lapwings was disturbed once by a hare that ran straight through the middle of them, and then again by another a couple of minutes later.

On the way home I stopped at Sherington Bridge to see if the Swan flock had pulled in any of their yellow billed relations. It hadn't but there were an impressive 81 birds.