Saturday 21st April

Saturday 21st April Cold (6 C), very calm, overcast and some drizzle. I reached Chambers Wall this morning at 6am, and spent a little time listening around the car park. Plenty Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers singing. I walked up to the railway line, adding a couple of Chiffchaffs, and then 2 Willow Warblers could be heard singing in the distance. As I waited at the crossing the Willow Warblers appeared beside me and carried on west along the embankment. I walked east up to Plumpudding stables, counting many more Whitethroats and Sedges, plus 2 Blackcaps and another Willow Warbler. 2 Green Sandpipers flew over calling, dropping down into the dykes at the swan's neck. There were 5 Tufted Duck and 3 Shoveler on the open water, and a female Marsh Harrier out hunting. I could hear a Cetti's singing as I passed Shuart, and then I saw my first 2 Yellow Wagtails this year, flying around over the fields. On reaching the coast I walked back west towards Coldharbour. There were few birds around apart from more Sedge's along the coastal dykes, a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits flying west, and 3 Whimbrel west. Out on the beach were 3 Brent Geese, and 4 Sand Martins flew west. Back at the car park there were 2 Lesser Whitethroats singing, and a few Swallows flying back and forth along the Wantsum. I had half an hour over at Shuart before heading home, hoping for a few butterflies as the sun warmed the air, but I only saw a single Green Veined White.