A very early start was rewarded with the first confirmed bittern booming in the reedbed. As soon as I arrived, the bird started booming and continued, every few minutes, for the next hour. While I was in position, a male grasshopper warbler was 'reeling' near the dead trees and I could hear a distant cuckoo, probably near Fen Hide. I headed around to the West Bank path to check for other 'boomers'. Nothing was active so I decided to make the most of the weather and check for bearded tits. We are currently recording very little activity and I am starting to get a little concerned that the cold winter has decimated the population. Having said that I did manage to find a pair feeding young and I hope that it is just a late season.
As I walked back I heard an unfamiliar song coming from somewhere near the pond dipping platform. I had my suspicions as to what it was and as soon as I saw it was a warbler I knew that it was an Iberian chiffchaff. A quick dash back to the office to get Dave and we were watching the bird at 'point blank range'. This is the 2nd year running we have recorded the species at Titchwell but it only the 4th record for Norfolk. A male was seen in the same area at the end of April last year and there is the possibility that it may be the same bird. Although similar in appearance to common chiffchaff the song is very different.
Arond the reserve, the pair of garganey continue to be seen although they have become more eluisive in the reedbed. On the fresh marsh we found the first avocet egg of the season in a nest by the path to the Parrinder Hide and there was plenty of displaying, mating and nest scraping over most of the lagoon.
Hopefully the chiffchaff will hang on until the weekend so more people can catch up with it.