Wader Day. Raggalds Flood/Soil Hill.

   2 Redshank Raggalds Flood

                 At long distance . 600mm and struggling

                 1 of 3 Soil Hill Redshank

   This taken half a mile away, Soil Hill Shay
but something I,ve never seen, a Snipe on
               telephone wires.

           Meadow Pipits, fun in the sun

A busy afternoon and as we passed Raggalds Flood at 1300 hrs I could see activity there but no time for stopping so when I eventually got free at 1700 hrs I headed there to check it out. As I passed to turn round AC was already there watching 2 Redshank as well as a pair of Mallard and 1 Pied Wagtail. Conditions are wader friendly but a dry weekend will probably see the last of the water at the rate its drying up.
                                On then to Soil Hill in bright but breezy conditions where I was met almost immediately with 3 very mobile Redshank dropping down into the quarry workings.
A scramble down the north slope to investigate further found 5 Snipe over the Shay, one of which landed on telephone wires, something I,ve never seen before and would,nt have thought they could have done that. Also 3 Curlew were present along with around 30 Lapwing.
                                        Meadow Pipits and Skylark were everywhere but no sign of the 2nd wave of Wheatear through yet.
BS