Patchwatch - Black Redstart

Always a good day when you manage to bag three new patch birds on a lovely sunny Spring morning. Heading first as always to the horse paddocks at Walthamstow Marshes which appeared relatively quiet. Nothing of real note present apart from two flyover Shelduck and a handful of Linnet preparing for a bit of nest building.  Heading up towards the last paddock at around 8am, a bird alighted from the fenceline.  The bins went up to find a lovely male Black Redstart that after a couple of minutes disappeared from view.  The bird was then seen again on the west side of the paddocks flitting frenetically between the fenceposts.

very poor shot of the male Black Redstart at Walthamstow Marshes

There were at least eight male Blackcap singing along the path up to the Cornmill Car park, and a Sand Martin was seen flying over the river Lea near the footbridge next to Leyton Marsh.

At Waterworks NR, the Cetti's Warbler continued to sing, my first Swallow of the summer flew through followed by two (singles) Sand Martin, a Rook (another patch first!), flew lazily north, and there were counts of eight Common Pochard (seven drakes), two Tufted Duck, 11 Teal, and two Little Grebe.

Later over the Lea Bridge Road, a Red Kite soared high over.