College and Argal Res's (7th March)

A quick nip down to Argal Res this afternoon between lectures.  2 Marsh Tits in the car park were my first site record and while scanning from the dam, I managed to total at least 6+ Buzzards and a circling Sparrowhawk.  A distant prob. Med Gull circling over College Res would have been my first site record but unfortunately I was interrupted by Joe public lecturing me on a "White-throated Diver" which he'd seen on Argal (I politely told him it was a Cormorant but didn't go as far as to disappoint him there was no such thing as a "White-throated Diver").  Thankfully, after a frustrating wait, I managed to reconnect with the bird and sure enough it was indeed a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull circling casually over Argal Res along with the accompanying Black-headed Gulls.

Scanning South from the dam also produced a surprise flock of wader-like birds heading NW over the distant horizon.  However, they only appeared as a moving band of tiny dots in a subtle V-formation so remained unIDable.

distant wader-like flock numbering a good 300+ birds as seen through my scope (any help with ID much appreciated :P )

Moving on to College Res yielded 1 Kingfisher and a Bittern still showing well in the open at the Southern end feeding on a toad/frog.  I also connected with my first site record of Mediterranean Gull here too, this time a 1st winter bird.