First Ring Ouzel is April addition

Midweek Ouzeling

 Chiffchaff

 Chiffchaff

Common Sandpiper

First brood of Canada Geese

 Turnstone

Our local idiotic dog walker

The last few days of April and the start of May brought some more nice birds to the pits.

On Tuesday evening I was searching for a Winchat seen by Jon, near the central lagoon, when I flushed a male Ring Ouzel from the scrub. The bird flew into cover and headed up on to the bunds. After Paul arrived we both headed up the bund and I got a terrific flight view across the area into one of the drainage ditches. Ring Ouzel is a species I’ve been desperate to record on site, finally the patience had paid off.

Saturday was very quiet but I did record my first Swifts over the south lagoons. I got some amazing views of the Chiffchaffs by the railway line that certainly made the morning worth the splodging round in the mud. On the main pit, the Oystercatcher was trying to keep a large number of Herring Gulls away from its second nest of the spring.

Jon and I did a full site visit on Sunday the highlights we recorded were two Golden Plover in summer plumage flying over, seven Common Sandpipers and 14 Swifts.

With heavy rain showers forecast for Monday afternoon I held back my visit until then. Just as I was getting ready, Mike Inskip called to say a Turnstone was on the main pit. The bird was still there on arrival and was feeding on the main island. Sadly the bird was flushed by our local dog walker who despite walking past myself and Paul, climbed down to waterside and flushed the Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper. Mind blowing………………………….