Dartford Warblers and Bittern

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - Another superb day of weather, and maybe the last for a while if the forecast is to be believed. The local patch struck gold with two Dartford Warblers in the scrub by south lake track and a Woodlark over the back of north lake amongst 10 Skylarks. A flock of up to five Chiffchaffs kept us busy for a while by the ponds with one individual showing no green tones at all. Also noted around the local patch: three Marsh Harriers, Buzzard, nine Shelducks, four Great White Egrets, six Stonechat, Mipits, Linnets and 50 Curlews over to roost.

                                Bittern, ARC

ARC - From Hanson hide we had brief views of a Bittern moving along the far reedbed. On the islands 200 Goldies, 200 Lapwings, Snipe, six Dunlins, four Blackwits and three Ruff which were regularly disturbed by Marsh Harriers. The two Goldeneyes were still on the lake, a Great Spotted Woodpecker by the Willow Trail and a Clouded Yellow butterfly on the track to the hide.
  In summary a pretty decent three days birding for our guest, in fine weather, during which we time racked up 105 species.