Dengemarsh - cool, cloudy, NE 3 - After a quick look at the top end of the gully it was onto the reserve via Springfield bridge to check out the wet fields for passage waders. The flood held a pair of Lapwings and a drake Shoveler while the dried out hayfield 3 attracted a large flock of feral Greylags. However, hayfield 2 was busy with birds the highlight being a flock of at least 42 Ringed Plovers of the tundrae race, and certainly the largest number I`ve seen on the reserve; although large flocks have been seen on Lade bay and the Midrips in the past. Tundra Plovers mainly pass through in late May en-route to their breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia and Russia and are subtly smaller and darker than the nominate race with the some adults lacking a white eye-patch. Also present were two adult Little Stints (one with stronger back markings) two Dunlins, two Black-tailed Godwits, six Avocets, two Lapwings, four Shelducks, two Shovelers and six Redshanks. Elsewhere across Dengemarsh: several Marsh Harriers, six Common Terns, a Hobby, a Cuckoo and a booming Bittern. It was no surprise that several more Little Stints and a Temminck`s Stint were located across the bird reserve this afternoon.
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