Oystercatchers

Lade - 0900hrs - cold, sunny, ne 3 - The local patch was again quiet this morning with the only evidence of any migration being a few Mipits over and a Chiffchaff singing from the willow swamp. Oystercatchers are a regular feature of daily life down here with a large wintering flock on the bay and a handful of breeding pairs around the gravel pits. The small scaffold island on south lake at Lade always attracts a pair to nest in what is an unlikely spot.

                                Scaffold island, Lade

RSPB - The reserve was dead with more birders present than birds. The scarce grebes and divers appear to have gone leaving only several Goldeneye, Wigeon and Pintail as left overs from the winter. Great White and Little Egrets were noted from the causeway road from where three Little Gulls were hawking insects over ARC along with the Black-headed Gulls. The fields at Boulderwall had the usual feral geese, Grey Heron, Curlew and Stock Dove present.
NB: The springs first Little Ringed Plover flew over Dengemarsh Gully this morning (BP), while the wintering Hume`s Warbler was reported from the southern end of the trapping area (OL).