0830—1100 A slow meander in humid conditions ahead of a brief stormy period of rain squalls and thunder and lightning from the SW. Turtle Doves were `purring`; Cettis, as always, explosive; Spoonbill loaving, interspersed with preening and a minimum of sweeping the shallows. A Peregrine was tucked in close to pylon struts; Avocets guarded two young, camouflaged against a marshy overhang, and a Greenshank joined Redshank in the muddy margins. A brood of eight Shel (ducklings) were centre creek; and Chris R and Martin G were notable KOS visitors determined to source Bearded Tits in the wind blown reeds—which they did! Two Buzzards circled  Mocketts, and Swifts were in numbers in the locale around their urban breeding eaves. Teals were among the scores of moulting ducks in  The blood-red, waisted abdomens of several male Ruddy Darters were evident. Skies darkened and lightning had a forked tongue!

Clockwise from top left: Spoonbill, male Ruddy
Darter, young Avocets