Fate!

First stop this morning was the old lighthouse, AJG was already there staring into the garden at the few Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs present, overhead passage was virtually non existent. We made our way to the observatory where DW had heard a Woodlark over The Desert. We hadn't got far into The Desert when we heard loud distress calls very nearby. 2 Crows and 2 Magpies were attacking and obviously trying to kill a medium size passerine, we quickly chased off the attackers and found an exhausted 1w Blackbird cowering in tiny piece of scrub. It allowed me to pick it up, on examination it was bleeding slightly from a wound behind its eye. We abandoned our Woodlark search in The desert to take the Blackbird into the trapping area to release it into the safety of the dense Sallows. On release it flew deep inside the Sallows, so hopefully it will recover from its ordeal. As we were now in the trapping area we carried on along the Pilot Path, as we came to the eastern edge of the Sallows AJG spotted a Pallas's Warbler which showed its self briefly before disappearing back into the depth of the Sallows. I'd like to think that the Pallas's Warbler was the birding gods reward to us for saving the Blackbird, fate certainly led us to it.The rest of the morning was uneventful.

This afternoon I had a look around Dengemarsh and surrounding fields, apart from Marsh Harriers and the briefest of flight views of a Bittern I saw little of note. I checked the stubble fields for the Crane but were several tractors ploughing them and no sign of the Crane. 

Mid afternoon by the fishing boats Mick and the 2 Richards had attracted a 2 Caspian Gulls with there bucket of fish, Popcorn and loaves of bread. A short video of the 1w bird can be seen Here  .    

 1w Caspian Gull

 1w Caspian Gull with full crop

 2w Caspian Gull

Another victim of anglers!

 Herring Gull that has swallowed a hook with at least 2 more wrapped around its body.

 On the reserve a minimum of 10 Great White Egrets, also a steady build up of Wigeon, Pintail and other winter wildfowl. At the ARC by the track to the Pines several Cetti's Warblers were calling, also a few each of  Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and Blackcaps.

Wheatear behind the fishing boats!