And it ended up being a very good day on the reserve with over 90 species recorded including 16 wader species, five raptors and four terns.
Total for the day included: 103 Commons Terns, 3 Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Little Tern, Wheatear, 4 Avocet, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, 6 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 8 Green Sandpiper, 3 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 2 Ruff, 58 Lapwing, Little Ringed plover, 10 Ringed Plover, 23 Snipe, 2 Whimbrel, 9 Black-tailed Godwits, juv Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Peregrine, 8 Kestrel, f Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Common Gull, 7 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail, 7 Swift, 55 House Martin, 2 Swallow, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Whinchat, 2 juvenile Garganey, 32 Teal, 21 Shoveler, 16 Little Egret, 74 Canada Geese.
The weather was inclement at times but this was probably what made it such a good day with waders drooping in all the time and the terns pushing up river over the high tide.
Wood Sandpiper (Dominic Mitchell www.birdingetc.com )
just wanted to say how brilliant I think these postings are to keep us up to date as to what is happening on the marshes. I look every day to see if there is any news... many thanks especially to Howard for all of this.