Sharp Start

A nice, early, 5.30 start at Druridge for a territory mapping visit before work. Nice to see the back of the awful wind for a while, still quite cool for late May though

A single spoonbill still present on the Budge fields (seemingly two were there later). A Reed warbler (which bred at Druridge for the first time last year) was back and singing on territory, was the other highlight. Also nice to see was at least two out of the three stonechats we ringed as pullus, fully fledged and moved away from the nest site, independent of their parents.

You can't see it, but it has got a ring on it. Juvenile stonechat

There was still only one singing wren recorded this morning, but dunnock appear to be back in small numbers now. On the warbler front, there are still several sedge warblers, blackcaps and whitethroats singing, but the willow warblers have quietened down now.

sedge warbler

Other birds of note were a juvenile goosander on the big pool and a two fledged pied wag young.

juvenile goosander

'All mouth'  - juvenile pied wagtail

124 reed warbler