Saturday - cold, dry and sunny, NE 2 - A circuit of the local patch at Lade was notable for a substantial increase in Whitethroats across the site with at least ten birds in song. Sedge and Reed Warblers had also doubled in numbers since we last visited on Thursday, although worryingly there has been no further signs of Cuckoo since the lone record a fortnight ago. Swallows, House and Sand Martins, plus a few Swifts continued to trickle northwards. Other local news today included a Black Kite over St Mary-in-the-Marsh heading inland (CP).
A couple of hours this afternoon spent at the seawatch hide with the regulars proved highly entertaining with a terrific up-Channel movement of Commic Terns, mostly well offshore and probably the majority Arctic Terns. While I was there at least 2,000 went through; for the full count posted by MC visit the Trektellen website. Also noted during my brief two hour watch: five Great, five Arctic and three Pomarine Skuas (one with an enormous set of spoons), 50 Brents, 30 Gannets, five Kittiwakes, three Little Terns, two Med Gulls, a Little Gull and a Fulmar.
Sunday - Lade - cool and showery, light airs - At last a Cuckoo calling from the willow swamp, and another one flying around behind the wall `mirror`, so at least two birds; I guess they`re late due to the cold April and blocking northerly airflow. Also a steady passage of hirundines and Swifts through the site early on. Another visit this afternoon between the showers to check for any downed migrants over south lake produced several hundred more hirundines, mostly Swallows, but little else in the chilly conditions.
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