It started so gloriously with blue, cloudless skies and a warming 7am sun getting all the birds singing but by 9am it was grey and overcast then the wind picked up and the temperature dropped and the rain came...booooooo!

There was a good haul of birds for the day with 23 Snipe, 37 Curlew, Ringed Plover, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Little Egret, 3 House Martin, 26 Sand Martin, 21 Swallow, 4 Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, the first singing Blackcap, Yellow and White Wagtail and Water Pipit on the circuit. The female Marsh Harrier put on some good shows and the hovering Common Buzzard over the silts once again had people shouting for Rough-legged. Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel made for a five raptor day. The Barn owls were in their box and the Lesser Redpolls were again in the Sallows from where you watch the owls.

(Janet Newis)

There was some early morning river action with a total of 12 Common Tern, three Sandwich and a single Arctic seen along with an adult Kittiwake and two Med Gulls.

Little Grebes were very vocal with pairs every 50 yards or so around the loop.

(Neil Hughes)

13-4-13