An absolutely glorious, crisp and frosty start to the day with -3 showing on the dashboard as I left for Brandon Marsh.
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| Hide and seek with a Common Whitethroat |
On arrival I took a circular walk over Farm Pool and Top Reedbed, recording my first
Common Whitethroat of the year on the 'Tip' area. I paused for a while trying to photo the little fella, only managing a record shot but while here a
Cuckoo began calling close by. It turned out to be a bird, according to my records, that has visited over the previous three years and has a distinct call. It has a Cuck but little ooo!
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| Short-eared Owl over Sheepfield this morning! |
Around at the Sheepfield gate I paused for a little while to listen for Warblers when a
Short-eared Owl, being mobbed by several Corvids, dropped down. The bird offered excellent views, quartering briefly before moving higher and heading off over East Marsh Pool. A
Lesser Whitethroat too while here, with three in total during my visit.
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| Short-eared Owl |
As I approached the Baldwin Hide a call alerted me to a
Curlew, which I was convinced had dropped onto East Marsh Pool! No sign from the hide but when I moved around to East Marsh Hide the word was I'd missed four birds, which didn't drop in but continued over heading east. An enjoyable visit with other species of note:
Black-tailed Godwit, (4)
Redshank, (2)
Common Sandpiper, (4)
Oystercatcher and a
Muntjac Deer on Wigeon Bank. The usual Warblers in song, including at least (3)
Cetti's Warbler.
