Boom!...and the Tumbleweed.....

hmmm...sounds like some kind of psychedelia album from the 60's by some long lost Californian group.....but....

0600 - 1200 Sunny, some cloud, cold but warming SW f2-4

An early alarm call....5am.....off to Rye for some birds im not going to get here at home....or near by....

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve....if youve never been its well worth a visit (im biased as I used to bird there quite a lot and also did some work there too)....

A nice list, 68 species, below, for the time of year...missed a few obvious birds but they just werent there....never mind....got the three I was aiming for....Wheatear....Sandwich Tern....Swallow.....

Heres the days list, mostly in order that I came across them....

Herring Gull, Robin, Cettis Warbler, booming Bittern, Mallard, Cormorant, Chiffchaff, Wren, Canada Goose, Coot, Greylag Goose, Marsh Harrier, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Long Tail Tit, Curlew, Blackbird, Linnet, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, Starling, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush, Skylark, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Avocet, Lapwing, Dunlin, Shoveler, Wigeon, Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Greater Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Teal, Common Gull, Brent Goose, Black Tail Godwit, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Buzzard, Magpie, Little Grebe, Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Green Woodpecker, Moorhen, Bearded Tit, Water Rail.

.....so....we have had the booming bit....now for the tumbleweed....

1345 - 1500 Sunny becoming overcast, warm becoming cold SE f2-4

A short visit to Whetsted...literally...I was wearing shorts!....no, please, dont turn off....it was a short visit in terms of time and also because I was wearing boots rather than wellies so I limited myself to where I could venture.  So a simple walk along most of the pits and back to the car was in order....

Highlights.....5 Buzzard, 2 Mandarin Duck, 1 Little Egret.....could only find 2 Shoveler, males.

Although I didnt scan all the pits as I was more looking and listening for Warblers, its pretty deserted on the water.....theres only a small Mallard population at most times but even thats beginning to look big now.....very few Coot, occasional Little Grebe call and the Tufted Duck numbers seem less than the other day....

I did hear a good number of Chiffchaff though, around 10 or so....hopefully a Warbler count will happen soon....though im guessing work will get in the way again....