What a difference a couple of days makes! Suddenly we are in temperatures hot enough to be worthy of high summer and more is yet to come. It's transformed the Meadow which has gone from still having modest numbers of winter duck to being almost completely birdless: today there were just a couple of COMMON TERN, a handful of Black-headed Gulls, 6 SHELDUCK and just tiny numbers of Wigeon and Teal. The SANDWICH TERN from two days ago turned out to be a bit more than just a fly-through. Martin Gebauer spotted it later that evening still on the floods and yesterday it was around for the whole day, loafing on the shoreline with the two Common Terns and looking very much at home.
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| A couple of wonderful photos of our star Sandwich Tern, courtesy of master lensman Roger Wyatt |
At this time of year there is a fast turnover in birds, which often just drop in for a few hours before continuing on their way. In the evening yesterday Martin Gebauer found a pair of BLACK-TAILED GODWITS, 2 OYSTERCATCHERS and a REDSHANK which had all gone by today. The House Martins are now back in their usual breeding spot on the eaves of the houses that back onto the Aristotle Lane footpath and can be seen hawking over the Meadow already.
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| Common Tern, courtesy of Roger Wyatt |
In the Trap Grounds I heard the first REED WARBLER of the year singing away rather quietly from deep within the reedbed. With the floods now so empty it's time to turn one's attention to Burgess Field to start looking for the rest of the returning warbler species. It's an exciting time of year!
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