It was meant to be be one of our free Gull ID days today but they were fairly thin on the ground (although they did eventually find a Caspian Gull) so it very quickly became a Raptor ID Day. Not often you can say that, but this morning was warm and bright with a light south easterly breeze and as such birds of prey were on the move! By lunchtime we had clocked up three Marsh Harriers, the female Hen Harrier, two Peregrines, three Sparrowhawks, three Kestrels and two Buzzards!
Not bad at all! Five Avocets tiptoed in Aveley Bay and a Little Ringed Plover was found again on the Butt Scrape. It looks like most of the Golden Plover have now departed for the northern breeding grounds and only 16 were left today.
Two Chiffchaffs were new in and singing and a smart Water pipit was found on the foreshore with three Rock Pipits. They too will soon be off back to Scandinavia. Bearded Tits were heard by the Marshland Discovery Zone.