Small Fall and Spoonbill

As any birder knows, the Spring to date has been pretty terrible for migrants with the depressingly cold weather and the few migrants that have made it here have been struggling to find food. This has been highlighted by numerous sorry looking Chiffchaffs feeding almost everywhere and anywhere and the depressing news from Norfolk where 9 Stone Curlews were picked up dead in Wiltshire earlier this week!

Therefore, on Tuesday 9th April, things seemed a bit more positive with a small fall around the patch including:
Redstart - 2 males (1 Otter Scrapes and 1 W of Golf Course)
Black Redstart - 1
Willow Warbler - 8+
Chiffchaff - 30+
Brambling - 1 female (W of Golf Course)
Meadow Pipit - 70+ N in small flocks
Wheatear - 7+
Song Thrush - 15+
Blackbird - 25+
Robin - 30+
Swallow - 3
Sand Martin - 5
4 DB Brent Geese - Otter Est
Blk-tailed Godwit - 1 Otter Scrapes this pm

Bystock Meadow - Ring Ouzel still and 8+ Brambling

Thursday 11th April: things got even better with a Firecrest on the Otter, an Osprey over the golf course and a cracking breeding plumaged Spoonbill on the scrapes - a patch tick and what a cracker! I was cursing, as I did not have my camera, so had to make do with some rather dodgy Phone Scoped Pics!

Adult Spoonbill on the scrapes!