A quiet afternoon at Barnes

Spent the afternoon at the London Wetland Centre for a change of scenery. With light northerlies and prolonged sunny periods, things were fairly quiet. The highlights were 1 Common Sandpiper and 3 Common Tern on the Main Lake, and 1 Ringed Plover and a pair of nesting Little Ringed Plover on the Wader Scrape. About 25 Sand Martin (including several visiting the artificial nest bank), c15 House Martin, c30 Common Swift, 5 Swallow and a Sparrowhawk were also seen, as well as many displaying Lapwing and a Black-headed Gull on a nest (I've not noticed them nesting here before). Still good numbers of Tufted Duck around with a few Pochard and numerous pairs of Gadwall. 1 Reed Warbler and 3 Cetti's Warblers were both heard only.

Adult summer Common Tern