In answer to my last question...

Yes, it can get even better.

Much has happened since 9th April, a slow trickle of migrants, all arriving later than the norm for the last 10+ years, kept me waiting for something good on one of my early morning pre work visits.

Then the 28th...the dawn chorus and we were already back into very cold and wet start, sure 3+2 Common Sandpiper was nice, but little else happened to brighten my day.

Luckily new local birder Jo Taylor was vigilant and heard a song he was not expecting over West of Sandford, on further investigation at the weir by Heron's Water, he confirmed the first Wood Warbler since 1992. Just 6 of us in total got to see it before it flew over the river and was never seen again.

Let me reveal the confusing story of Wood Warbler records;

1982 : Aug:1/1st, reported via ROC newsletter (OU)

1983 : Aug:1/12th North Sandford near Loddon for 3 mins 7.20am (FJC & DF), seen again 13th (Mike Collins & Kevin Templeman)

1984 : May:1/17th singing (RC), July:1/13th (MC & KT)

1992 : Apr:1/21st singing just off park (PA et al), then another 23rd (MJ Hallam), May:1/3rd Sandford (Patrick Crowley)

1998: Apr:1/22nd Middle Marsh (Patrick Crowley)

2003 : April:1/25th Lavell's (K Creed), Aug:1/9th (John Tilbrook)

As I often say this is my blog, so I can air my opinions, which are the following;

1982 : Fine

1983 : Fine

1984 : Unsure, but probably fine for both records

1992 : April 21st certainly fine, 23rd fine, no idea about the May bird

1998 : No idea

2003 : April, good date but dubious. August, no idea, supposedly okay.

This morning, I found not 1 but 2 Whimbrel on the East shore of LFGP and unusually they stuck around, rather liking the long grass to feed and hide, even returning after a flush or two from crows.

Can it get any better

I was doing family stuff yesterday afternoon when Brian called in with 2 Little Gulls at BSL, but it didn't take me long to get there and enjoy the little beauties flying up and down the East side.

I even managed a class pic of one of them....

But today at 06:51 Marek had just joined me at the sailing club for the first time in about 6 months before work and I looked up and said "is that Egret as big as it looks"? Sure enough it was a Great White Egret, my 5th, Marek's 1st.

I think Marek's shot is better

Lots to catch up with

Not that it has been non stop or anything, but the Wheatear was nice and getting Sand Martin same day was also good.

A day pause on the 1st April with nothing new, then Tim James got a lovely early Common Tern on BSL, which I also made it to see. My earliest by a mile.

The next day (3rd)  I got in a quick car park field recky and got another Wheatear very distantly on the landfill. I also heard a Hawfinch go over. I was ill with tonsilitis and what with the flooding making things near impossible anyway I gave up, but toward the end of the day I gave the car park field another quick look around in the rare sunshine.

Almost immediately I was rewarded with my first 2 Swallow, looping over the bottom end of the car park field towards Lavell's. I was looking at my phone and when I looked up saw 4 long necked ducks coming in fast from the North over Lavell's. They were up high enough to stay on and it was easy to see they were 4 Pintail, getting the scope on the them it became obvious it was 2 pairs.

The 4th I slept in and stayed home to try and rest and get better, late morning Geoff texted saying a Tern went by LFGP toward DP and looked a bit Arctic like.

I was at the door and the breezy but showery weather might help my health, so headed out. I found the bird immediately with Alan and we watched it sat for 10 minutes, after which it flew about and returned 2-3 times over the next hour. The weather was pretty rubbish really so light pretty poor.

The Tern had a dainty jizz, light and bouyant flight, snatched food from the surface like a marsh tern.

Plumage : Long'ish but not extensively long tail streamers, not long bodied. Wings had typical dark edge on under side for Arctic, but the upper wing was a bit more confusing with 4-5 primaries having small smudgey grey marks running up the shafts, not a long way and subtle, but easily visible.

When perched it's bill was black from tip to about half way then graduated into very dark red, but not especially short. Legs, probably short. The head had the 'cappy' look about rather than the 'napey' look of Common.

Here are my best shots from the 300m range.

After conversations, re-reading etc, I believe this was more likely Arctic than Common.

Heady heights

Despite the totally silly amount of water falling from the sky yesterday, the afternoon unfolded pretty well and since I was at my son's 6th birthday party when it all happened, I was blissfully unaware until nearly 14:00.

So after the Willow Warbler excitement, rain first thing left me unenthusiastic so I left so I had good time to get ready. Then Wheatear was found on the East shore, then Sand Martins went thru and it didn't seem likely I would even get down the Loddon footpath due to flooding, but of course I tried and succeeded.

The male Wheatear was still around the South end of the East shore along with a Green Sandpiper further right.

Then Ann WhatsApp'd the Red-legged Partridge again and I felt compelled to head that way, I'm glad I did but despite my inability to find it, I did pick up 7+ Sand Martin over Lodge Wood heading toward DP.

March was a pretty good month, it thrashed 2016 by 4, making a new 1st place high count of 100 species and whilst doing that it beat the running year totals of 2016 and 2017 by 2, hitting the heady heights of 106.

It will all even out as all the usual migrants arrive, but it's those little bonuses that make all the difference at year end, Tim's Little Gulls may be matched in mid to late April, we can only hope. This next 2 weeks are a key window for Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Ring Ouzel, as are even a mythical species like Water Pipit, Tree Pipit and Black Redstart, but all could drop in.

Okay I have to mention it, it's the 18th year anniversary of my Purple Heron on the 5th & 6th!

We have 3 credible April records of Goshawk, 6th & 15th 2009, immature female seen by me, then Trev. Prior to that 23rd 2002, again Trev and again a female. With big raptors coming thru each April, I'd say April is the month to get lucky.