Monday
18th April Light to fresh NW Cloud built up
during day yet dry. Cool 8C with chilly wind.
A
Tawny owl is hooting as I cycle along the road through the oak
woodland. A cuckoo is cuckooing as I walk up the ramp to the Island
Mere hide at 5:00am. It is still, cold and cloudless. Bitterns are
booming and water rail are squealing. The Savi's is reeling away
again but still a long way away so no chance of views.
Two
early morning photographers come into the hide before six, one of
whom tells me that I met his wife, Claire last week. Three otters
decide to swim across the far left corner of the mere. Two bittern
decide to show themselves by flying over the reedbed as marsh
harriers sky dance.
Along
to the visitors' centre, I go straight past and down to the stone
curlew field where a distant bird is standing up on the far side.
Another year tick, 213 and a bird that will save my legs from having
to cycle to Weeting Heath to see one there. Shame really as I love
Weeting Heath and the staff and set up there.
I
spend the morning in the North Scrape hide with Robin Harvey, the site
manager for the reserve and all-round brilliant birder. With a team
of seven wardens, he and others run the Minsmere reserve as well as a
couple of nearby RSPB reserves. A little-ringed plover lands nearby
and a house martin flies over, Robin's first of the year.
Later
in the day, after a meal in the cafe and after publicity photographs
for the RSPB Suffolk Twitter feed, I see my first swift of the year
speedily flying over the scrape, bird number 214.
I
meet Robin again in the evening. He is heading around the scrape and
off towards the ruined priory to the south. I can see him birding
there as ten whimbrel fly around just behind the south scrape hide
before heading off north. Later another group of whimbrel, twenty
five of them fly past over the sea, also heading north.
The
Green Year list now stands at 214, 30 birds ahead of this time last
year.
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