12th April

Got slightly shafted by last night’s weather forecast as several hours of solid, heavy rain greeted me at Grafham Water from first light but I stuck around, it brightened up and I managed a very respectable 82 species through the next few hours!   Highlights on the reservoir included 2 adult Little Gulls and 3 Arctic Terns off the dam as soon as the rain cleared where there was also a stunning summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe, single Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Yellow Wagtail (my first of the year) and a flyover Curlew.

                Later on at the opposite end at Dudney Creek there were 2 more Little Gulls (an adult and a 2^nd winter), my first Common Tern of the year with presumably the same three Arctic Terns; there were plenty of birds around the woodlands with good numbers of singing Warblers including 3 Lesser Whitethroats (my first of the year), 9 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and lots of Cetti’s Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs – with a couple seen with nesting material.  

The lagoons were fairly quiet with 4 Avocets and a Green Sandpiper the highlights while random birds included a Red Kite, 2 Sparrowhawks, at least 7 Green Woodpeckers scattered around, 5 lingering Goldeneye, a few Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins, a Kingfisher and a Little Egret.

                            

Red Kite

Dunlin and Ringed Plover on the dam

Little Gulls

Blackcap

Grey Wagtail

Pied Wagtail