Wednesday 14 April 2010

Secretive sedges and pink gulls...



The first sedge warbler was recorded on Saturday morning by the ringing team, followed by the first sightings today on South Marsh West. Swallows and sand martins are everywhere - but no house martins yet. Green sandpiper was recorded on South Marsh East and Watton NR on Sunday, and an osprey perched on the pylons on Watton Carrs the same day. Weirdity of the day was a pinkish tinged black headed gull on the marshes - see the photo on the Hull Valley site here, it was joined by a first summer Med gull again. A lone straggler pink footed goose was left on South Marsh East and I would tentatively say the brambling have now left with none seen at the centre this morning. The red-head smew however still lingers on - still on O res today. For more pictures of the day and a round up of sightings have a look on Michael Flowers's blog who was in with his group today. Contractors have also been progressing with the easy access path extension round O res too. Reserve regular Martin Hodges has kindly sent us a pic of the cranes he managed to get as they went overhead on Saturday. Finally to finish off the eagle tale - the bird was reported in the Yorkshire Dales,then RSPB Leighton Moss in Lancashire before being seen heading past Haweswater in the lakes over the last few days - so it looks like it has undertaken a giant loop back to Scotland again!