One Swallow doesn't make a summer.........

.........and neither do 6 or 7! I thought we'd slipped up this morning when I arrived at the 'obs' at 6.30 a.m. as it was virtually flat calm, just a hint of a whisper from the northeast, and it was mild. I started to wonder about all the birds we could have ringed until fairly quickly it was clear that there wasn't a great deal on the move.

As usual the pair of Sparrowhawks kept me entertained with their early morning air display, but other than that the skies weren't exactly full of migrants winging north on 'vis'. There was some vis but this was limited to Goldfinch, 3 Linnets, 2 Alba Wags, 29 Meadow Pipits, 7 Swallows and Lesser Redpoll.

There was nothing grounded at all other than a Snipe that I put up from the dry reedbed in the dunes. Focusing my attention on the sea it was quiet here too. Eighteen hundred Knot headed south and the main point of interest were the 27 Sandwich Terns on the beach. They were a delight to watch as pairs displayed to each other within the group.

I then met up with Ian and we headed to the reedbed to give some of the willows along our net rides a 'hair cut'. It was great to be back in the reedbed and we look forward, hopefully, to some Acros in a few weeks time. Coming soon to a reedbed near you:

Sedge and Reed Warbler