3 Green Sands on the Burtle Rd peat workings on Sunday - just 1 today

Spent a bit of time on Tealham this pm but no sign of yesterday’s Purple Heron (reported on BGs - would be great to hear more detail if anyone has it)

A Green Sand was on old roadside peat workings east of Westhay reserve this afternoon

A Common Tern on Noah’s yesterday morning (plus C Egret and Otter). First tern I’ve seen on the Levels for ages.

The pair of Egyptians still have 4 duck/goslings (still haven’t decided which is most appropriate!)

Saw a wagtail this evening on Tealham that appeared to be a slightly worn male Blue-headed. Was singing and seen from Tealham Moor Drove.

By the way, this is definitely not the regular Channel Wag.

Yesterday morning, the Great Reed was singing from reeds on the 2vp lagoon near the viewing platform itself - it’s still around…

Today, 2 adult and 4 gosling Egyptian Geese were on the old peat works off the Burtle/Westhay Road, plus 1 Green Sand.

And for what it’s worth, my falcon record from Catcott on 7th was better than I thought.  As well as showing some good features for adult female Red-foot, I can eliminate Kestrel and Hobby (and even Amur Falcon in fact!)  Just wish it had stuck around or popped up close by.

I think this is worth a mention:  I saw a very good candidate for an adult female Red-footed Falcon this evening at Catcott. Just too brief and distant to be sure, unfortunately.  Was circling above the strip of wood behind the less-used hide at the main marsh, and I lost it as it got higher by which time it had drifted towards Canada Lake.  Had a good walk round and waited an hour but no further sign.

Also 2 Hobbies tearing around in typical fashion whilst catching dragonflies.

Birdguides has a report for 4/6 of a possible Great Reed Warbler again on Ham Wall.  I heard a couple of odd calls on 26th on Loxton’s and wondered if they were the GRW - not enough to warrant a report though - at the time…!

The stork is not quite as pristine as I thought, having had nice flight views this evening… Its inner secondaries are black but its outers are grey or have a whitish cast, so I think it’s moulting. Also missing a secondary. I left it this evening perched up in a tree on West Waste, which is the flood meadow area a little to the north of the ploughed field it’s been favouring, and accessible by various public footpaths.

As Mike has already mentioned…

After more or less being at Greylake yesterday morning while the White Stork there was flying off and not seeing it (!), it was with much surprise that I found the Meare bird early evening.  It was loafing in a busy field with lots of gulls, and completely ignoring the 2 tractors, often letting one pass just a few feet away.  Flew off and dropped down to the north I believe later in the evening.  A pristine and unringed adult.

A terrific spring on the Marshes so far.  I don’t post everything at this time of the year but of note, a couple of us logged 20 Garganey on 9th April on the Avalon Marshes and Greylake combined.

Four ruff at Catcott this afternoon, of which two males almost in full breeding plumage. Also a male garganey and pintail.

Greylake got in on the ruff passage with a photo of c.25 there yesterday on FB

Great Reed Warbler showed very well this afternoon from Loxton’s Marsh. Also several Ruff, 3 Whimbrel and Wood Sandpiper VP1, and several Hobbies, Garden Warblers and Bitterns booming nearby. Early evening, White-rumped/Pacific Swift seen but didn’t hang around.

Greylake had a superb raptor afternoon with 5+ hobby, a red kite, plus female hen and marsh harrier (former made 2 back & forth passes, whilst latter pushed the male garganey and wigeon out of hiding - 2 Male wigeon also still at catcott). Plus there seems to be an en masse ruff passage with more than usual at catcott & ham wall (as well as other parts of the country)

4 ibis can’t just disappear (from chew) unless they’ve returned to Somerset…