Sightings

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Willow warbler in full song and a 2nd heard further into the reserve. Also seen, male kestrel, 2 chiffchaffs, jackdaws, crows, 25 teal, 1 little egret, skylarks, blue tits, good count of 12 reed buntings feeding together, coot, gadwall, 1 heron, cettis, magpies, cormorant, pheasant, robin and goldfinch.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

Three Sand Martins; also an Otter, watched for some time feeding on what looked like small eels

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler singing gently in Manor Wood, Chiffchaffs have been regular for several days.

Main sighting: Wheatear

First one of the spring for me, male.

Main sighting: Sand Martins

7-Sand Martins,2-Red Kites,2-Little Ringed Plovers,5-Goosanders 2m3f,2-Mandarins m+f flying up river,2-Oyster Catchers.10h30-13h00

Main sighting: Wheatear

First one this year.

Main sighting: Blackcap

En-route to hides – woodpigeons, wrens, herring gulls, chaffinch, chiffchaffs, blackcap in song, pheasant, crow, goldfinch and blackbirds. Hide 1 – mallards, skylarks, Canada geese, 2 swans, 119 black-tailed godwits, ls black-backed gulls, greylags, 3 snipe, 44 redshanks, coot, 6 gadwall, spotted redshank, 5 lapwing, 18 shoveler, male pintail, 42 wigeon, 68 teal, 2 lt egrets, cettis, 36 avocet, 5 shelduck, magpie, 1 heron and 1 cormorant. Hide 2 – gt tit, reed bunting and 3 more cormorants. Snipe platform – 7 male and 3 fem tufteds, 2 lt grebes and mallards. Seawall – 3 curlew, 2 oystercatchers, jackdaws and pied wagtails. Hide 3 – pair fem marsh harriers together, 4 more gadwall, 18 more teal, 21 more widgeon, 8 more shoveler, 2 more lapwing, 5 more snipe, 2nd male pintail 3 ringed plovers and meadow pipits.

Main sighting: Egrets

Ls black-backed gulls, 4 chiffchaffs, jackdaws, crows, stonechat, 2 cettis, buzzards, wren, woodpigeons, 3 gadwall, 2 swans, 9 herons, 11 lt egrets, robin, moorhen, gt tit, blue tit, mallards, male lt grebe, blackbirds, pheasant, gt spotted woodpecker and goldfinch.

Main sighting: Stonechat

Wrens, rooks, blackbirds, buzzards, goldfinches, dunnock, greenfinch, chiffchaffs, woodpigeons, chaffinch, cettis, jay, robin, blue tit, ls black-backed gulls, pheasant, mallards, mute swans, crows, moorhen, gt tit, siskin, song thrush, stonechat and starling.

Main sighting: Sparrowhawks

2 female sparrowhawks fighting high over Wyesham Avenue

Main sighting: Sandmartins

6 sandmartins

Main sighting: Garganey

Pair of Garganey watched on the back off Monk’s lagoon between 16.20 and 16.40. Male was chasing the female which took refuge in the rushes, where later joined by the male. Also present on the lagoon were 8 Shelduck, 46 Shoveler, 57 Wigeon, 8 Mallard, 41 Teal, 1 Stock Dove , 16 Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Lapwing, 31 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Snipe , 11 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron. Female Marsh Harrier hunting along sea wall. 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Skylark and a Cetti’s Warbler in song