29 May 2017

The change in the weather produced the goods when six Sanderling arrived on the west bank at 1010 and were still present early afternoon, the first record this year. As usual they exhibited a variety of spring/summer plumages, each one different to the next from frosty to brick-red, these high-arctic breeders are always a delight locally. Fairly quiet otherwise though with four Greylag broods, two drake Mandarins, 6 Gadwall, 29 Cormorants, 6 Oystercatchers including two chicks, brood of three small Lapwings, 9 LRPlovers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Curlew, 4 Common Terns, 3 Yellow-l-Gulls (2x1stS and usual 2ndS), 1stS Herring & GBBGulls, 1 Raven, Willow Tits calling opposite Carr Pond again and a male Yellow Wagtail on the West Bank. The list now stands at 141 for the year.