Quiet on Chandlers farm (west) 28th July 2019

With only four days to go before August, Manor farm still remains untouched. This leaves five months to complete any restoration work before the latest deadline (I saw) expires.

Chandlers farm (or at least the western half) was extremely quiet during my hot, somewhat soggy Wednesday morning stomp. At a sultry 24 C, with humidity somewhere in the stratosphere due to the preceding day's thunderstorms), this was nothing to the 35 C we experienced on Thursday. There was activity on Chandlers farm, I could hear it as I walked toward it from the MGLG car park, it just seemed confined to its eastern half.  The bit I can't see from the footpath.

Even the wildlife was easing off.  Tern island (MGL) was eerily quiet. Only one or two gull types things to be seen.

Cormorant lake was edging up to its normal levels - what with all the rain and the pump still being off. All the gravel bars leading off the scrape were flooded. While the circular pipe, so beloved by the gulls and terns to sit on, could start floating soon.

Nothing to do with the restoration process, but I was most chuffed to see this bird in our garden. I knew it was unusual for our garden, not the usual Blue, Great or Coal Tits, or Dunnocks that infest our bird feeder.  I reeled off a few shots before identifying said bird in my RSPB pocket guide to British Birds.

Apparently, it is a Blackcap.  Its crest was up, no doubt annoyed by the sight of our cats.  The crest went down when the cats disappeared. It flitted around for a while, catching insects on the wing, before some pedestrians spooked it, and it flew away.  Haven't seen it since.

Apparently, the females have a red cap. Far more exciting.