After three days off its amazing how things move on – a walk in the woods now reveals a carpet of red campion sprouting from nowhere. The woodcock continued to show until Sunday but no sign today - gone or just lost again? Bittern has been a great highlight for many on North Marsh showing every afternoon from Saturday to Tuesday, but no sign today. A fine looking little egret roosting on South Marsh East tonight was some consolation. Brambling and a lone smew are still present and the goosander continue to drop in to D Res, as did a mediterranean gull very briefly on Saturday – a welcome first for the year. Pintail (see video) and green sandpiper attracted to the new mud edge around South Marsh East, showed some things were moving. A very brief glimpse through the trees of a large raptor caused interest – it was being heavily mobbed by black headed gulls – they never normally bother with buzzards – a passing osprey? – we’ll never know, but one was at Hornsea Mere a few days ago. Surely a sand martin or chiffchaff should be along any day now. As regards other animals, the stoat was again on the island of North Marsh – demonstrating great swimming abilities, and toads are on the march – so keep an eye out when driving past the lagoons. Finally we had our first grass snake ‘sighting’ on Saturday – it never pays to get up too early – have a look at the contents of the otter spraint above…
