Coombe Hill and Ashleworth (28 June 2011, contributed by Mike Smart and Les Brown)
The scrapes in front of the Grundon Hide are now both almost dry. The southern scrape is completely dry, and there are just two puddles in the northern scrape, which will be dry very soon. However, there is still plenty of water in the Long Pool, and most of the birds seem to be going there. From the Grundon Hide, two broods of Lapwings, each of three chicks are still round the edge; two Hobbies landed alongside them early on, but flew off empty-footed. Two Egyptian Geese and a Little Egret. A Redshank still appeared to have chicks in the long grass, as did at least one pair of Curlew. On the Long Pool, two more broods of Lapwings, three Green Sandpiper, an immature Little Ringed Plover which must have flown in from outside, and a Carrion Crow eating the fourth Mute Swan cygnet (the other three were safe with Mum and Dad), and a Teal in eclipse. On the way back a brownish looking Cuckoo (Graham smith later saw and photographed a young Cuckoo being fed by a …. Male Reed Bunting.
At Ashleworth, a Yellow Wagtail with a nest in a hayfield, fortunately one in higher Level stewardship which won’t be cut for weeks yet.