What a glorious sunny day today has been despite the cold wind. First birds of the day were two white wagtails and a yellow wagtail in the field adjacent to the access road. Two colleagues on a (very) early morning bird survey had spectacular views of a prolonged chase between a redshank and a peregrine. The redshank made it to safety!
Fourteen whimbrel were seen going west along with a steady passage of sand martins and swallows with a few house martins thrown in for good measure. A lesser whitethroat rattled from the coach car park where a garden warbler skulled and there must be at least fifteen blackcaps on site with at least one male seen actively nest building. Sedge warblers are well and truly 'in' but so far no reed warblers ........
Waders remain scarce though two common sandpipers have been seen cavorting around the fresh marsh and pools....I wonder if they will breed again this year?
On the sea common and velvet scoters still linger along with several red breasted mergansers and a few immature common eider. The red necked grebe (pictured) continues to show well and when the sun shines on its neck you can see the rusty feathers of its breeding plumage just starting to shine through. Interestingly, red necked grebe's latin name Podiceps grisegena describes its grey cheek rather than the stunning brick red throat of summer.
Marsh harrier and avocet remain easy to see, bearded tit along the west bank path can be seen with patience and with a bit more patience even a flight view of bittern is possible from Fen hide!
Keep on birding!