It ain't alf hot, mum!

Lesser Black-backed Gull, Heysham

Sedge Warbler, Leighton Moss

Speckled Wood, Leighton Moss

Yellow Shell Moth, HGF

Heron, Pennington

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Sunday and for some obscure reason I decided to visit Pennington Flash on a scorcher in the middle of the afternoon. Stupidio! I quickly came to my senses after a chat with John Tymon and left to visit HGF. The ploughed up bit that was formerly a bed of reedmace nr Midhops Farm is now attracting birds. 59 Lapwings, 50+ Woodies, 2 Stock Doves, 6 Mistle Thrushes (2 adults, 4 juvs), 2 Skylarks, 2 Linnets (juveniles), 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Grey Partridges and 2 male Yellow Wagtails were all present here!!! On the pool the usual stuff with the Black-necked Grebe still there but only one Little Grebe again. Later on a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew through the front garden. I went back to HGF in the evening - over 500 Starlings had congregated on the wires. I watched fascinated at the shapes the flock made as they swirled around. Suddenly a female Sparrowhawk appeared and made a grab for a bird....and missed. I bet she wished she had never bothered as the flock turned on her and forced her away very quickly!

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This morning nothing much on the former reedmace bed except one male Yellow Wagtail. The usual stuff by the pool but an adult Ringed Plover was patrolling the east bank. Funny how birds seem to visit regularly certain patches around the pool - Yellow Wags mostly visit the west bank and are rarely seen anywhere else - waders always prefer the east bank and northern tip. Two Oystercatchers flew over heading SW.

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At lunch today I got in my car and the temperature gauge read 33°C - it was 20.5°C at 07:30 this morning! Only one Corn Bunting was present on the wires on Holcroft Hall Lane in Culcheth today - going home I saw a large raptor carrying prey fly over HH Farm but it had gone from sight by the time I managed to stop the car for a look. The Little Owl was playing out on Lady Lane though this evening.

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Back to HGF late evening and the return of an old friend - the male Channel Wagtail was flitting around the ex-reedmace bed. He was still present after I had walked around the pool and back. On a sadder note, the pool was packed with people having picnics, walking dogs and swimming tonight. Consequently every bird on the water except the Swans was pressed into a narrow strip at the north end - all were extremely agitated. People will destroy this place before much longer.