A Handful of Smarties

I popped in to Tongwell this lunchtime. It was pretty standard fare with a few Mallards, Tufteds, Canada and Greylag Geese, Mute Swans, Coots, Moorhens, Great crested Grebes and a Cormorant.
I did however manage to catch up with my first Sand Martins of the year, a group of five that were flying around in the company of one Swallow.
A pair of Grey Wagtails were on the dam as was a single of both Black-headed and Common Gull.
From here I braved the traffic to take a look at the Gravel Works over the road, where there was still a minimum of 2 Green Sandpipers but very little else.

It Must be Summer then !

A wander around Manor Farm this afternoon.
It is drying out quite nicely and must surely attract some passage waders this spring. Already on site today were a Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank and 2 Green Sandpipers.
Not one but two Swallows flew around. There were 3 Little Egrets that flew out of the western arm, a pair of Goosanders were on the main water and 4 Teal were on site.