This one has done and being in full breeding plumage there have been some amazing images posted on social media etc over the last few days, so pretty much everyone in the county has been down to see it.
I would have gone after work yesterday but other things cropped up and I wasn't able to go. This morning I did the usual shopping run with Mum and went down despite the lack of news, arriving at 1015.
I met Bill as he was leaving to be told that three Arctic terns had been present early on and that the Spoonbill was sitting in the heronry and not easy to see. I was able to see a suitable large white shape in the trees and walked down the path to enable me to look back up the pit from the south east. It still wasn't easy as it seemed to be spending a lot of time hunched up but every now and again it raised its head showing the crest quite well.
There were a lot of hirundines again with large numbers of House Martins, some Swallows and a few Sand Martins. In the strong cold winds it was hard work going through the Common Terns and I wasn't able to pick anything unusual out of the 10-15 present.
In view of the unpleasant conditions, I made my way to White Hide where it was nice and sheltered. Looking down the pit I found at least 15 Swifts in the distance, my first of the year. The pair of Little Ringed Plovers were, as usual on the small island in front of the hide.
Two pairs of Teal were still around, and there were a few Herons and Little Egrets around, though there were also a lot sitting on nests on the island. One of the Oystercatchers was also around. I didn't see any butterflies or dragonflies-it was far too cold and windy, and there wasn't any point going on to Hollycross.
Back home, my hybrid Cypridium orchid 'Parville' was looking quite nice with several flowers, so i took a few snaps before the afternoon hail storms arrived.
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