Thursday 12th.August 2010

So , there I was , standing at the end of the Fleet , watching the male Marsh Harrier gain height to clear the wires , before dropping down onto the Fleet itself , unaware of what would unfold in the next hour and a half . Within minutes , a Common Buzzard flew overhead , and was challenged almost immediately by a very dark juvenile Marsh Harrier .
I kept seeing white rumps and flocks of small birds wheeling around . Some I could see were
Linnets , and eventually caught the other species on camera , Yellow Wagtail , together with one of the white rumps , Wheatear . The Yellow Wagtails were constantly moving on , but my best estimate would be a maximum of 25/30 at any one time .The Wheatears stayed for some time and I estimated 10/15 of them , most busily feeding , but some just resting up .Whilst watching the Wheatear , a Red-legged Partridge , with five young , appeared from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly .A large flock of Starlings rising as one , alerted me to my second Hobby of the day , flying low over the ground , trying to spook it's prey . Whilst watching the Hobby , a movement on the slope where I photographed the Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail , turned out to be two Stoats , but they had disappeared into the long grass before I could get a shot .I was disappointed not getting a shot , when one of them breaks out of the grass , and runs up the road , then across into the field on the other side . I thought , will the other one follow ? I set up the tripod and waited .Sure enough , out of the grass pops the other Stoat , further along the road , but is then swooped upon by a Kestrel . But the evasive action of the Stoat worked , and it joined the other one in the field , and the Kestrel flew off somewhat bemused by the whole affair .Just before leaving Capel Fleet , I got a fly past from a dark juvenile Marsh Harrier , that could well have been the one that tackled the Common Buzzard . I had to pass the entrance to RSPB Elmley on my way home , and couldn't resist one more look along the track . The Starling numbers seemed to have increased even from the morning , with lots of juveniles .

My decision worked out well , when I found a single Yellow Wagtail along the track .

And finally , whilst processing some more of the shots , I came across this one , which at the time I thought were 4 juvenile Swallows , preening themselves on the wires , outside the Ladies Toilet , which is why I assumed they were Swallows . But a closer look , and I think they are Sand Martins .