Luton & South Beds RSPB

Dungeness - 0930hrs - sunny, cool, breezy, sw3 - Good to meet up with Mick Price and a few familiar old faces from south Beds for a days birding around the Peninsula (and catch up on a bit of gossip from Bedfordshire!). Started off with regulars such as singing Black Redstarts on the power station, Stonechats and Wheatears by the Experimental Station, plus Linnets, Mipits, Pied Wagtails, 2 Goldfinches, Blackbird and probably the most unexpected bird of the session, a Song Thrush. The sea was fairly dead with just a few distant Gannets, 3 Med Gulls and up to 100 Common Terns coming and going from the Patch.
RSPB - 1100hrs -  Pulled in at Boulderwall for Tree Sparrows, where 2 Whimbrels landed in Cook`s field, plus Marsh Harrier, Stock Dove and Stonechat. Further along the access road by the bend 6 more Whimbrels in the ant hill field.
A circuit of the hides produced all the usual wetland birds including a pair of LRP`s, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Little Egret on Burrowes; Dabchick on the pond; Lapwings and Raven over the hayfields; Common Tern, Pochards and Marsh Harriers on Dengemarsh (missed the 2 Garganey and Ruff seen earlier); cracking flight views of a Bittern from the ramp, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers; Kestrel, Swallow and Whitethroat, return trail. The Long-tailed Duck was reported from ARC.
An enjoyable days birding amongst old friends in gorgeous spring sunshine, what could be better...

                                         Whimbrel, access road