With low pressure dominating for the first time in months, the start of autumn was decidedly different to the vast majority of summer. It was (relatively) cool, it was breezy and there were rain showers which were particularly lively on the 3rd, when over an inch (28mm) fell in the day, including a torrential shower in the early afternoon that deposited 15mm in around 20 minutes. More rain fell on the 3rd than in the whole of May, or the whole of June, or the whole of August. There was still a little butterfly activity when the sun came out between the showers, but my macro lens was redundant as I switched to local bird watching. A visit to Phillup's Lake on the 2nd produced at least one Little Grebe, a single adult Coot, three Tufted Ducks (one male) and, a local 'first' for me, two Teal.
There was no mud, and consequently no waders, at Phillup's Lake, but there was plenty of mud at Dernford Farm Reservoir where the water level was still, despite the rain, extremely low on the 2nd. I counted at least six Ruff and five Common Sandpipers feeding around the reservoir, as well as a Common Snipe that flew off as soon as I appeared. A single Yellow-legged Gull was with the (resident?) Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls. The Tern family had departed, but large numbers of juvenile Tufted Ducks were seen after what has clearly been a very successful breeding season. As usual, the reported Ruddy Shelduck was nowhere to be seen. More gulls (mostly Lesser Black-backs) were seen when I went on a short (rain shower clouds spotted) 'there and back' walk east along the Icknield Way from the A505 layby, again on the 2nd, and they included a Herring Gull.
