Roundup - August 2026
August has always been a month of tangible about-turn to me. A month where, at some generally unspecified point but often in about the third week, my focus shifts from non-avian to avian. I almost feel that before it my interest in birding has waned and will never get to where it was before, a feeling then completely dispelled, often within one brief moment. This moment came at Gadsey Brook this year. Gadsey is an interesting mix of mature gravel pit, still-worked sludge lagoon, pasture, scrub, riverine meadow, and marshy brook. Brilliant, I hear you say? Well...not really. It turns up birds, however it's bloody hard work that's not in proportion to the habitat's potential. So, it was a pleasure, on the 4th, to find two Black-tailed Godwits on the "sludge pool" (which at the right water level looks absolutely scary for waders) along with a really good local count of nine Green Sandpipers, busy amongst a decent number of loafing Lapwings. Also, one of the Green...