Saturday and Sunday 6th and 7th April

One of many Snipe (c) TS

Drummers (c) Bark

Amorous Pochard (c) Bark

Fudge Duck still (c) Andy Last

Little Ringed Plover (c) Andy Last

Marsh Harrier (c) TS

Singing Wren (c) TS

Singing Dunnock (c) Bark

Garganey (c) Andy Last

This weekend we took a few more baby steps towards spring but still failed to achieve anything like seasonal weather.
On the reserve more migrants have appeared with the first hirundines being seen on Sunday. A Sand Martin was reported in the afternoon and a lone Swallow was seen by the Robys over the reedbed in the evening. On Saturday the first little ringed plovers were on the Big Otmoor scrapes and two different drake Garganey were seen on both days.
Snipe were very much in evidence this weekend. The male Hen Harrier flushed at least fifty from Big Otmoor on Saturday and the group of volunteers who are training for survey work found more than twenty on the Closes. They also found one Jack Snipe. On Sunday morning there were at least four drumming over the path to the first screen and several “chipping” from the sedge.
Lapwings and Redshank were noisily evident everywhere and the first lapwing nests have now been found by the RSPB staff. A Chiffchaff called in the carpark field on Sunday morning. Peregrine , Barn Owl, Marsh and Hen Harriers were all reported over the weekend.
There are still Redpolls around the feeders and the cattle pens and some of our resident birds were singing steadily despite the chill. Perhaps next weekend will bring in the first real wave of summer visitors.