Saturday 18/04/2020

As the much needed rain had fallen over night I was hoping for a fall of migrants, almost the first bird I saw as I left home was a Northern Wheatear my hopes rose even higher. As I moved into Dengemarsh a Cuckoo(my first of the year) started singing from the top of some Sallows, almost immediately I heard a a Nightingale singing from deep inside some nearby Sallows, this being the first one I have heard on the shingle for several years, it was such a pleasure that I stood listening to it for a long time, as it competed with Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers and some half hearted booming from a Bittern. Over the Boulderwall Fields something I haven't heard for years was a drumming Common Snipe.

My first Cuckoo of the year 

Nightingale singing with a short burst of a Cuckoo and Sedge and Reed Warblers 

 Common Whitethroat

My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year

A very light shower bought down lots of Hirundines, many Greenland Wheatears, at least 12 Little Gulls, also a Black Tern (RW),

 Greenland Wheatears

5 of a Flock of 12 Little Gulls on the lakes

The hay fields are looking really good for breeding waders and wildfowl at the moment. There seems to be more Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers than usual there, so fingers crossed for a good season. Also on the floods at least 5 Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers and several Garganey. As I walked past on my way home another pulse of Hirundines came through including another Red-rumped Swallow with 3 Barn Swallows, all of which just zipped straight through.

Friday 17/04/2020

 Cock Linnet

It was hard going this morning in the cold North East wind. Even the Sedge Warblers were keeping there heads down. A few Bearded Tits could be heard deep in the reed beds, a Bittern gave a some half hearted booms, with a few Hirundines over.

 An awful distant image of todays star bird a Spotted Redshank

 1 of at least 3 Grenshanks around the hay field today

Marsh Harrier gathering nesting material

Thursday 16/04/2020

 Fox in the pre-sun rise mist this morning

 Another super sun rise

 A gorgeous drake Shelduck inspecting Rabbit hole 

 Always a treat to see a superb drake Garganey, this 1 at Dengemarsh this morning

 Once the sun was up the marsh was buzzing with bird song, which is accentuated by the lack of man made noise, making the early mornings a joy to be out in despite the cold.
2 Cuckoo's were around this morning both of which I missed, also a Nightingale was heard, but in general there seemed to be few new birds in.

 3 Greenshanks on hay field 3 looking into the sun

Plenty of Redshanks around the wet marsh

 Stunning male Marsh Harrier at Dengemarsh this morning in perfect light 

 Raven over Dengemarsh

 The first brood of many at Dengemarsh I fear

 The Plodland Reed Bunting

 The Plodland Yellow wagtail

Goldfinch in the garden waiting its turn for the feeder

Wednesday 15/04/2020

 Sedge Warbler taking in the first first rays of sun this morning

A very cool start to the day with the NE wind still blowing across the peninsula but not as strong as yesterday, made for a muted dawn chorus. Even the Sedge Warblers early on were barely audible. Half way to Hookers and a Bittern started booming but not for long. The Reed beds eventually gave up all the usual suspects Bearded Tits, Cetti's Warblers, Reed Warblers and Buntings and even squealing Water Rails.

On the fields up to 12 Whimbrels were present, Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers were noisily chasing anything and everything another unseen Greenshank was calling and a distant Bittern flew over. Very few Hirundines present though I'm pleased that my local pair at the paddocks has returned. Hopefully tomorrow will bring news of the first Cuckoo. 

 My usual view of Bitterns

 Still at least 1 Great White Egret here

12 Whimbrel seen around Dengemarsh today

 Several Common Whitethroats seen around Dengemarsh today

 The Reed Warblers don't usually show so well 

 Sedge Warblers love to pose

 A really scruffy Wren belting out his song

 Gorgeous male Marsh Harrier

3 Common Buzzards circling over Hookers

 Presently at least 5 pairs of Yellow Wagtail in the fields between my house and Dengemarsh 

4 Greenfinches now visiting my feeders

Tuesday 14/04/2020

 Plenty of singing and nest building Linnets at the moment

Another day of persistent bone chilling NE wind made the walk to Dengemarsh feel much longer than usual. There didn't appear to be much in the way of new migrants just a few each of Swallow and Sand Martin. The Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers were very muted, yet again another Cetti's posed for me. It was good to watch a male Blackbird managing to collect worms for its young from the rock hard ground, then watch some of the Marsh Harriers displaying. A Peregrine despatched a feral Pigeon, another Whimbrel flew over, an unseen Greenshank was calling and still 2 Garganey at the back of Dengemarsh, bring on the warmer weather and get the migrants flooding in.

 Despite the cold the Sedge Warblers are still singing albeit half heartedly

 Blackbird managing to find worms for its young despite the ground being so dry

  Another posing Cetti's Warbler

 Bothe the Geese still sat tight just a few yards apart

 Displaying Marsh Harriers

 I don't see many House Sparrows across the fields

This pair of high flying Great-crested Grebes flew over my house and would have been a new bird for the house, the only problem I was 200yds away in the field looking back! 😂