Walking down to the lake today I was greeted by the song of a Reed Warbler coming from the reedbed and after waiting a while was eventually rewarded with good views.
The second new bird of the year quickly followed with a Common Sandpiper flying round the lake, and after briefly alighting on a branch in the water it flew off again being joined by a second bird, but with water levels on the lake being high they struggled to find anywhere suitable to feed.
A scan across the fields to the south of the lake revealed a feeding flock of ten or so Fieldfares. Amongst them was a particularly striking individual with a black face and breast which certainly looked rare when first picked up facing head-on but sadly I couldn't make it into anything other than a Fieldfare although an internet search didn't reveal any photos of one approaching its appearance so a notable bird nonetheless.
On the lake a second drake Mandarin had appeared much to the displeasure of the 'resident' pair with much sparring going on between the two males.
