Sightings

Main sighting: Short-Eared Owl

Visit began 30 mins before dawn. On Monks Lagoons huge flock of Black-Tailed Godwits ( 1000+). Reviewed my pics later and at least 6 Bar-Tailed Godwits. The Black-Tailed Godwits remained on Monks Lagoon all morning and put on some mega displays. The Godwit flock was joined by Knots ( 30 +) Ruff ( 3+), Spotted Redshank ( 2), Dunlins (10 +), Lapwings and Redshank.
A Short-Eared owl was quartering the reeds/grass between Monks and Becs early on and then flew all around the reserve.
Other highlights –
3 different Marsh Harriers seem – 2 x Female and 1 x Male. They are favouring Priors Lagoon.
Priors had 8x Mute Swans early on and the main highlight was the Pink Footed Goose – best observed from the seawall or the seawall hide. On the seawall, a Yellow Wagtail showed.
On Becs Lagoons was the main flock of Avocets 40 +, Oystercatchers (4) and a lot of Shelduck (50+). The highlight on Becs was a solitary male Garganey.

Main sighting: Yellow Wagtail

Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Avocet, Black-Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Knot, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Pied Wagtail, 2 x Marsh Harriers, Shelduck, Gadwall, Cormorant, Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Starling, Reed Bunting, Shoveller, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Crow – The star of the visit was a beauty of a Yellow Wagtail visible on the seawall. Thank you to the chap I met in hide 2 who alerted me to it.

Main sighting: Gargany

Gargany (single male); Pintail (pair); Pink Footed Goose; Black Tailed Godwit (>1000); Avocet (91); Knot (33); Lapwings; Oystercatchers; Ringed Plover (2); Gadwall (12); Grey Heron; Little Grebe; Little Egret; Mallard; Moorhen; Coots; Redshank (18); Ruff; Shelduck (36); Teal (52); Tufted Duck (2); Snipe (3); Mute Swan (3); Greylag Geese; Canada Geese; Little Egret: Curlew (31, beyond sea wall); Blackbird; Blackcap; BlueTit; Great Tit; Carrion Crows; Jackdaw (2); Cetti’s Warbler (3); Chiffchaffs (5); Dunnock; Goldfinch (7); House Sparrow; Robins; Herring Gulls; Lesser Black Backed Gull (3); Magpie; Meadow Pipit; Skylark; Pheasant (2); Reed Bunting; Starlings; Wrens; Marsh Harrier (2) Both females, causing chaos amongst the waders for over two hours.
50 Species in all. Plus Peacock Butterfly.

Main sighting: Bittern booming

Bittern booming; Snipe (6); Curlew flying over; Blackcap; Cetti’s Warbler; Chiffchaffs; Wrens; Robins; Great tit; Blue tit; Blackbird; Dunnock; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Goldfinch; Blackbird; Buzzard; Magpie; Canada Geese; Tufted duck; Little Grebe; Shelduck; Grey Heron; Mallard; Moorhen; Carrion Crow; Woodpigeon.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

Pair of Sand Martin at nest site.

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Two Willow Warbler singing, the first I’ve heard this year.

Main sighting: Marsh Tit

MARSH TIT, BLACKCAP ; Chiffchaffs; Goldcrest; Goldfinch; Blackbird; Song Thrush; Robins; Wrens; Great Tit; Coal Tit; Blue Tit; Meadow Pipits – all singing. Red Kite; Buzzard; Kestrel; Carrion Crows
Sunny day but very windy up at the Trig point.

Main sighting: Spotted Redshanks

En-route to hides: chaffinch, crows, robin, wren, great spotted woodpecker drumming, chiffchaff, blackcap, collard dove, pied wagtails, pheasant, long tailed tits, blue tits, magpies, blackbirds, herring gulls, house sparrows, starlings, moorhen, woodpigeons and 1 little egret. Hide 1: Canada geese, 131 black-tailed godwits, 21 curlew, 15 shelduck, 24 teal, 2 wigeon, skylark, pair of spotted redshanks, greylag geese, 4 avocets, 2 lapwing, 6 snipe and coot. Hide 2: cettis calling. Hide 3: 521 more black-tailed godwits, 80 avocet (highest number here for me, 2 colour ringed birds also), 1 heron, pair of pintail and single male, 10 shoveler, 8 gadwall, female marsh harrier, 2 ringed plovers, 3 cormorants, mallards, oystercatchers, meadow pipits and reed buntings (most of the bird activity was from this hide). Seawall: stonechat, 11 more curlew and lesser-black backed gulls. Snipe platform: pair little grebes and jackdaws. Back at hide 2 good count of 81 redshanks.

Main sighting: Sand martin

One sand martin hawking for insects

Main sighting: Swallow

Swallow flew close by on track in Tirpentis Cut.

Main sighting: Swallow

Saw my first Swallow over the road drinking in the lake by the cemetery, with 8 Goosander on the lake (2m + 6f).
Also had 3 Wheatears by the approach road.

Main sighting: Swallow

A lucky group of seven enjoyed a lovely spring morning. Two Chiffchaffs sang on the lane to the start and a distant high-soaring Peregrine put in a spectacular stoop as we gathered in the car park. We much enjoyed newly-arrived male Wheatears on our walk along with many Stonechats, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks performing. Dave Brassey spotted a lone Swallow flying over. Our final tally was 28 species though, sadly, the Red Grouse eluded us.