False Start

After yesterdays reasonable sea passage I parked at the power station full of expectation. As I left the car hopes of another good passage were dashed at the sight of AJG coming from the beach shaking his head. I watched for an hour with DW but the passage was very thin, the highlight being 2 Sandwich Terns and 2+ Harbour Porpoises.

 The camera does not do justice to the fantastic aerial display of several thousand Starlings over Boulderwall Farm being attacked by a Sparrowhawk(bottom centre).

 I spent several hours in Hanson hide and around the Tower Pits. Despite dawn to mid afternoon coverage of the reed bed by Hanson there was no sign of yesterdays Penduline Tit. A couple of Bitterns were seen and up to 10 Smew, also in the Willow Trail a Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and several Long-tailed Tits, Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers.
The Tower Pits produced the Red-crested Pochard, another bittern, 2+ Marsh Harriers and a Great white Egret over. New Diggings held 2 each of Great White and Little Egrets.

Another Bittern flew along beside the entrance track and disappeared into a tiny reed strip of reeds beside the road. Despite intensive scrutiny it could not be seen, however a few minutes after every one left it jumped out and moved to a bigger bed.

From Dengemarsh Road yet another Bittern, Great White Egret and 2 Marsh Harriers. By the chicken sheds 3 Corn Buntings(the first I have seen here this year) 1 of which was singing. As Galloways was open I had a drive down to the sea but there was little to see apart from a male Stonechat.

On Walland at Midley still 31 Bewick Swans and a Whooper Swan. The bushes opposite the feeders were alive with Tree and House Sparrows, Greenfinches and Chaffinches. The Tickners Lane seed dump was still attracting Corn and Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and Finches.