randombirder

Another good early morning at Broom with dunlin numbers down on yesterday (a maximum of nine seen yesterday) with two first thing with another joining the group after a brief fly-around.  The scrape also held the continuing ringed plover , greenshank , and the two little ringed plover . A decent flock of hirundines then dropped in with at least 50 swallow and a few swift amongst the martins.  A hobby swooped through with a successful first catch of the day. Other highlights were my first garden warbler and wheatear for the reserve, the latter were two females on the opposite side within ploughed land. Seven lesser black backed gull flew through and 24 black headed gull was the highest count for a couple of weeks.  Two wigeon were feeding on the far bank.

After an incredibly moody night with winds howling and heavy but much needed rain battering our shores, the morning was filled with the expectation of grounded waders and so it came to pass. On arrival at just before 6.30am, four dunlin , a tundrae ringed plover , greenshank and two  little ringed plover were present on the scrape.  Perhaps a little disappointing for some that may have expected more variety or something a little rarer.  Still pretty decent. It was blustery and dark clouds loomed in the distance.  Another greenshank flew in to join the other already feeding in the shallows.  Totally evading our gaze, two more dunlin joined the other four already present.  This presented a small group of a wider national influx of this species this morning.  They seem to be everywhere. In the scrub, a lesser whitethroat , sedge warbler , and reed warbler were singing.  At least nine yellow wagtail were feeding out on the grass islands.

It's been great on Broom so far this spring - the wader count has been impressive and with the receding water levels, the exposed mud is proving its worth.  Today the scrape looked more like the freshmarsh at Titchwell than a small reserve in South Beds - or - Al-broom-feira if you will. On the scrapes were three each of wood sandpiper , summer plumage dunlin , oystercatcher , little ringed plover , and a single greenshank .  Incredible having all this 12 minutes from home.

A quick dash over to the reservoir this evening to get my mind off work and settle myself down with some bird therapy. The south basin yielded the continuing 11 Black Tern that had been present for much of the day.  Two adult summer Dunlin were trotting along the causeway.