Cold, cold North wind

Despite the biting cold North wind I joined the monthly guided walk for an hour, having a baby son with chicken pox and being Mothers Day, didn't seem right to be out much longer.

For starters a lone pipit, presumably Meadow went over the car park, on BSL 3 male & 3 female Goldeneye, some Pochard and Tufted Duck, 1 Oystercatcher on the South end of the main island, 1-2 Common Gull, 2-3 Herring, but few Black-Headed.

In the bushes Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest, a possible Blackcap, but too brief for one observer to be sure, a Little Egret with Grey Heron on Sandford, Treecreeper calling along the backwater.

At LFGP, all the usual, 3 more pipit sp over NW, but then a real surprise, especially on this bitter cold morning, an amazingly early lone House Martin, flying back and forth from the NE corner to midway along the East bank, no doubt frantically trying to find food. This is the earliest ever arrival by 12 days, the previous record set 22nd March 1992.

I marched quickly back via Bittern hide, nothing much to speak of.