21-Apr-2024
Spotted Redshank still from the car-park hide this morning. Now nearing full sum-plum. Looking very dark grey with spotting, lost its supercilium and replaced it with a white eye-ring.

No sign of spotted redshank in brief visit to the hide. Apparently bird of prey sent things up earlier.

Distant view of 16 cattle egrets with long-horn cows. Three cranes flew over. Flock of 100+ sand martins. Lots of blackcaps, willow warblers + chiffchaffs. Grasshopper warbler heard.

Spotted redshank showing well from the Lows hide this morning, although the bright morning sunshine made the colours hard to distinguish. Mustn’t complain though….

10-Apr-2024
The Spotted Redshank still present this morning although mostly out-of-sight behind the tall juncos. Two 5-min views in 1.5hrs. Slowly becoming darker, will it ever go black before it departs? Also a single Swallow. Very few ducks, 3 GW Egrets, a lone Little Egret, 3 distant Marsh Harriers after the heavy rain ceased.

6-Apr-2024
Adult Spotted Redshank in transition from winter to summer plumage at Catcott Lows NNR late morning, sheltering from the strong wind behind a clump of juncos. Presumably the one present here for most of March? Last BirdGuides posting was 28th.
Also 2 Sand Martins and single Swallow high-up over the far end of the lows.

The only birds of note in a 3 hr visit on April 1st were: 5 Cranes which dropped in on a weatherfront and a Red Kite amongst the Marsh Harriers.  No sign of any Hen Harriers though.

20-Mar-2024
Spotted Redshank in winter plumage still, to at least 12:20hrs today. Also male Hen Harrier reported very early this morning (07:00ish?). No sign of y’day’s 2 Garganey, but noticed a BirdGuides posting of 2 at Ham Wall today.