Saturday 27 April 2013

In and out

An early morning walk from Springfield Bridge to Hookers and back found plenty of Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers singing along with several Common Whitethroats in the cold north wind, at least 1 Bittern was booming and a couple of Marsh Harriers were quartering the reed beds. In the hayfields a Ruff a Greenshank and 2 Whimbrel, Redshanks and Ringed Plovers displaying. The first broods of Greylags are out and about being eyed by a stoat. At Hookers my first Cuckoo of the year, a Lesser Whitethroat singing from its usual bush.
While having breakfast after a bit of painting a call from SB alerting me to a Red-Rumped Swallow over Burrowes Pit, I managed to get there in time to see it high over Burrowes and New Diggings with a mixed flock of House Martins, Sand Martins , Swallows and Swifts. Despite waiting c1hr it did not return so no pics were obtained but Mike Buckland managed a few good shots HERE but 2 Ravens, a Great White Egret, a Peregrine and 3+ Whimbrel were seen.
Early afternoon while doing more decorating a text from Mike about a Long-tailed Duck at Scotney, when I arrived an assortment of locals were there looking at a pale blob asleep on the spit, until it lifted its head to reveal its identity. This was presumably the bird reported last Sunday and the first on the peninsular this year apart from a couple of flybys seen by DW. It was still present this evening along with a Wheatear, 20+ Yellow Wagtails, 5 Whimbrel and a Marsh Harrier.

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