I heard then saw a spring migrant Chiffchaff singing in the Blackthorn behind us, nothing on BSL.
Checking Sandford more on the way back, just Pochard remain.
At Lavell's, John went to check Teal hide, I walked on slowly hearing another Chiffchaff behind Teal scrape, then saw another just after the green bridge.
By the time I had unlocked the hide, John was back with me and we began scanning, Teal dotted all along the East shore, Wigeon spread out, but over 100 on the landfill.
I began scoping for Snipe in hope of finding a Jack, just 3 Common, but I kept scanning hoping for an LRP, or a pipit, then as I passed a male Mallard in the far NE corner, I noticed something paler behind it, then suddenly a white crescent became visible and I called out "John we've hit jackpot, I've got a male Garganey, probably the earliest arrival ever".
So excuse the pictures, but it was 350+ metres away and rather dull light
It was the earliest by 9 days, Richard's pair the early birds on 20th 2012.
The March history goes like this;
11th March 2017 : Male LFGP (FJC, J McG et al)
29th March 2013 : Male LFGP (MFW, GSE et al)
20th March 2012 : Pair Redwood Lake (RNM, et al) staying til at least 5th April
21st March 2007 : Male Lavell's Tern scrape (R Dawson et al)
27th March 1997 : Male Lavell's Tern scrape (TAG)
19th March 1989 : 2 Male, 3 females, but no location or observer details so cannot be verified and did not appear in the County report
Also present today was the Brent Goose on the far landfill, Steve Day found a pair of Mandarin on Heron's Water, which then turned up at LFGP later (TAG).
This puts the park on 96, 103 being the third place in 2011, there is plenty of scope to reach that since we have none of this month's expected migrants in yet.
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