Last Visit to Amwell for a While

Paid my usual weekend visit to Amwell this morning. Got to the level crossing and saw that it would be closed next Saturday and would not be open until after the following weekend. Arrived at the watchpoint and Tony said that the whole line would be closed, not just this crossing. So the choice is very limited parking at the old gate, or a long walk in from Ware or Stansted St Margrets.
Better news was the juvenile Yellow Legged Gull at the south end. Walked down and bumped into Phil and Bill on the way. Spent a long time in the hide scanning the gulls as there was a continual turn over with birds arriving from the tip to wash. Found the Yellow Legged but did not get any good images as the light was poor and the bird too distant. Large numbers of Lesser Black Backs in particular with smaller numbers of Herring. About half a dozen Greater Black Backs also present.
Walked back to the watchpoint and joined the others. Seemed to be a lot of Redpoll movements with birds going over on a frequent basis. There were large flocks of thrushes over the woods. Phil and Barry reckoned in excess of 500 Redwings over the course of the morning. A few Song Thrush and Blackbirds were seen, but no Fieldfare. Usual movement of Skylark and Meadow Pipits.