Inundation weather

If it hasn’t been swifts and hirundines then it’s been rainfall over the last two days. This impressive rainbow was over Hempholme village in amongst the lightning strikes yesterday:

However between then and 9am this morning the level in the new meadow has increased by four inches – creating many new hollows and pools in amongst the existing scrapes:

The river too was transformed. Just over three weeks ago you could have run the flow over this weir through an eight inch pipe – possibly not today:

The river was as full below the lock as it was upstream:

Hopefully this hasn’t damaged the avocets which were seen nest building yesterday morning but no sign today. Their island stayed above water but only just. This black tailed godwit in full breeding plumage there today though was nice however:

A common tern was also on show again in the area again today, and a passing whimbrel on Watton and greenshank on South Marsh West was a year first. The first lesser and common whitethroats were also calling today. Thanks to Tony Robinson for these of blackcaps which are still obvious around site:

Linnet too are a familiar face around the back-to-back hides:

The two pintail are reliably on the marsh at the moment too – Tony Robinson:

A wet night brought out the barn owl in daylight and also the short eared owl hunting flooded out voles no doubt in Hempholme Meadow:

Otherwise c.40 swifts was a good count over D res and a common sandpiper on the wall. Finally the group who rung black headed gull 2X18 readily visible on South Marsh East at the moment are keen to know what sex it is (it is very difficult to establish when rung as a chick). This can tell them about the different dispersal in sexes. To determine this you can help by logging whether it is male or female during its relationships on the island. If you are still not sure if you can log in the sightings book wether it was on top or bottom that should suffice!