First Hobby

Lade -0900hrs - warm, dry, sunny, sw 3 - Another pleasant spring morning in the sunshine but little viz mig on the go apart from several Yellow Wagtails and Whimbrels over calling. Most of the phylloscs and Blackcaps seem to have shipped out from the willows overnight, although a few more Reed Warblers were chugging away in the reed beds. Two Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel noted behind the `mirrors` and a Green Woodpecker basking on the wall, plus two grass snakes by the ponds. The now usual cacophony of Black-headed and Med Gulls flew over south pit along with a steady flow of Curlews coming off the bay to roost.
Galloways - A circuit of the range road produced half a dozen Yellow Wagtails and 2 Whimbrels, Whitethroats, Linnets and Sedge Warblers.
RSPB - Another steady day on the bird reserve although a Hobby at Boulderwall was new for the Marsh year list (168). A few Yellow Wagtails passed over, a Great White Egret was on New Excavations and there were plenty of Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats singing between Christmas Dell and Dengemarsh. A Spotted Redshank was at the southern end of ARC, but was gone by midday, while Garganey, Common Redstart and Blue-headed Wagtail were all noted.