An OYSTERCATCHER was at the New Workings, Moor Green Lakes on the 13th August, and was the first that I had seen there. It flew off after being spooked by a RED KITE, but returned some ten minutes later where it settled down again. Later that day, an adult and juvenile SPOTTED FLYCATCHER turned up at the sewage farm, which was great to see, as they have become so scarce these days. A NIGHT HERON had been at Pennington for a few weeks recently and on the 16th, I went there hoping that I would see it, as it had been reported as being very elusive. A few birders were gathered at the pond when I arrived, who informed me that the bird was in the usual weeping willow but was hard to see. They were right; all you could make out through the scope and dense foliage was part of its bill, body, legs or eye, but not all at once. Still, I consider myself very fortunate to see it as it was my first ever NIGHT HERON. Later on at the Shoveler pool, four WOOD SANDPIPER were busily feeding along with a CURLEW SANDPIPER. On the 21st, a trip to Farlington marshes to see the SPOTTED CRAKE proved fruitless as it wasn't seen at all. However an OSPREY hunting and catching a fish in the channel more than made up for the earlier disappointment. My best ever view of a HOBBY took place at the New Workings, Moor Green Lakes, on the 27th. I have seen Hobbies before, many times, but not this close. I was busy looking at the gulls, when I looked directly up to see the bird plunging straight down towards me in its pursuit of a dragonfly. It came very near, then veered left twisting and turning and eventually flew back across the diggings. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have time to get the camera out, not that I would have managed to get it in the viewfinder, what with the speed that it was flying at. A fantastic show of aerial agility.
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