🌞22C Friday 20th April 2018 ~Wanting to make the most of the fine weather I watched the sun come up from Alban's Bench, Brandon Marsh this morning! The bench gives great views of Newlands reedbed, which was alive with song. At least three reeling
Grasshopper Warbler, one showing quite well, plus two
Reed Warbler and numerous
Sedge Warbler. The surrounding Hawthorn and Bramble yielded
Common Whitethroat,
Chiffchaff,
Willow Warbler,
Dunnock,
Blackcap and
Wren, just a wonderful cacophony of sound.
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| A Brandon Marsh 1st for me ~ Ring-necked Parakeet. |
After enjoying the dawn chorus I made my way around to the Wright hide for my first look at East Marsh Pool. However, just prior to entering the hide a noisy squawking call turned out to be a
Ring-necked Parakeet, a Brandon first for me, although I'm not sure a welcome one! The bird sat on top of a tall willow for a while before heading East and thankfully disappearing from sight.
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| Osprey over East Marsh ~ Now into its 3rd day on site. |
From the hide (4)
Little-ringed Plover, (4)
Oystercatcher, (2)
Redshank,
Kingfisher and (3)
Common Terns, which simultaneously lifted as an
Osprey, now into its third day at Brandon flew straight overhead, eventually coming down over towards River Pool!
Low cloud and mist had descended by the time I arrived at Teal Hide,
Yellow Wagtail overhead on route, but I found the
Osprey perched across on River Pool. After a short stay, I headed off down to Ted Jury Hide, where the only addition to my day list was a
Lesser Whitethroat.
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| Wheatear ~ Car park bank. |
Next stop Top Reedbed and Farm Field with a stop at the Nature Centre. While here I received a message from Dave Cox, who'd just arrived and located a
Wheatear on the car park bank. Well done Dave, I'd obviously missed this one and by the time I connected the bird had been flushed towards the new fencing area by the arrival of a group of noisy schoolchildren.
Finally, the tour of the farm area yielded a further two
Grasshopper Warbler, making five for the day. More
Orange Tips on the wing when the sun returned with
Small Tortoishell, (5)
Brimstone and single
Comma, along with a year first
Holly Blue. More sightings of
Osprey while in the East Marsh Hide for lunch and reports of a
Cuckoo which I didn't manage to hear or see.
Off to Spain in the morning to get away from this heat 😀
