I added a few 'easy' patch year ticks and was quite taken back as to how much the marshes had changed in the last week. Now Redshanks and Oystercatchers are the main sounds to be heard as well as the Skylarks belting it out and the ever present squabbling of the displaying Lapwings... the joyous sounds of spring on a wet grassland!
So the main counts worthy of mention were as follows;
Avocet 8
Pintail 3 (+1 at Strump in the afternoon)
Dunlin 47
Ruff 69
Peregrine 2
Black tailed godwit 1
Wigeon 1610
On the walk back from Cantley where I was hoping to catch up with the Glossy Ibis that put in a very brief appearance on Thursday evening I saw 2 dark birds flying towards me. First thoughts were cormorant, no not quite right, glossy ibis?? no far better than that.... 2 Brent Geese!!!! I couldnt believe it 2 Brents had just flown right over my head and then over the sugar factory... full on patch tick a very tricky bird to get here (far more difficult than glibis and on par with Iceland gull..well nearly). As I realised what they were I darted for my camera in my scopac and managed to get some arse shots as they flew away into the distance. I think they will do, on one you can nearly see the white collar and the dirty grey brown flanks, what a result!
Still no proper migrants yet, but I think I heard the distant song of a chiffchaff in the wood opposite the main entrance first thing this morning, but it stopped and didnt start again. A Bittern has now started grunting in the fen, hopefully it will develop into a decent boomer.
In other news my garden bioblitz has not done any more than splutter into a slow start, just 57 species so far. The next month should see it increase quickly due to emerging insects etc, a few more days like yesterday should help!
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