Opting for BSL first I could see it was fairly thick fog, so doubted I'd see much, but maybe a Common Sandpiper might be there at the beach. But before I'd even got to the bridge at 05:58, 2 medium sized waders came over my head at about 70-80ft, seeing straight bills with my naked eye, it was clear Whimbrel was out and having to move to get my bins quickly on them, they were moving away ENE fast into the fog, but I could see no wing bar and no obvious trailing legs....they had to Bar-tailed Godwit....and in just 1-2 seconds they were gone into the fog.
This is my 6th record for Bar-tailed Godwit, with only 10 records for the park, 3 in April, 3 in May, 2 in Sept and 1 record is 'Observer Unknown' in March, the full history of records is;
Apr 20th 1982 : 2 Over BSL 06:14 (FJC)
Sept 16th 1984 : 1 Over BSL (Tom Bedford)
Mar 17th 1988 : 2 Over (OU)
Aug 1st 1996 : 32 Over but not specically identified as Bar-tailed (Brian Uttley)
Sept 11th 2005 : 1 Over 10:30 (PMC & bird walk)
Apr 29th 2007 : c56 Over LFGP NE 19:49 (FJC)
May 17th 2008 : 1 Adult female BSL island (ARy, BTB et al)
May 14th 2009 : 1 Adult female LFGP (TGJ et al)
May 6th 2011 : 1 Flew off WNW LFGP 07:07(FJC)
Apr 21st 2014 : 2 Flew over BSL low 05:58 (FJC)
And just when I thought it can't get better, at 06:09 as I got back to my car parked at the locked gate, I looked up and got onto a Marsh Harrier heading North, it had already gone over and was probably about above the bottom of the car park field, or just beyond, at around 250 ft. Due to the fog and direction of light I had no chance of sexing it! This is my 8th at DP.
After all that I had a much quieter visit at LFGP, 6 Common Tern, my first Cuckoo and another Hobby, which went over my head at 12-15ft North along the hedgerow.
Update for later today is a possible Goshawk seen by Roger Stansfield, that went over LFGP North. I also saw 2 Mistle Thrush young being fed in the car park field at last.
Update #2 : GSE gave me his picture of the Arctic Tern he photographed on the 19th and so thought it fair to compare it with the 13th April 2013 bird
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