Welcome break

Despite a cold start and a northwest breeze today's weather was clear and the temperature picked up by the afternoon. Looks like the more windy and wet conditions return tomorrow so it was a nice break today. I popped out before the usual Saturday family proceedings started and checked out Ferry and the harbour from the end of the Long Pool HERE. The Ferry field was lively with a Ruff, Green Sandpiper, over 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Curlew, 4 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 2 Avocet and 2 Oystercatcher and there was a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank in the Ferry Channel. A Weasel was running along the Long Pool footpath which was nice to see. 

In the afternoon I popped out again and went to Church Norton to twitch the female Wheatear that the Vicar had found this morning. Ebird list HERE. Luckily the Wheatear was still there and also four Slavonian Grebes were off shore (presumably the same birds from last week that Ian saw earlier in the day too). Now on 136 for the local year list. It was quite a gap since my last 'summer migrant' with Sand Martin on 28th Feb, Swallow on 2nd March and now Wheatear on 14th so nearly a two week gap between new summer migrants after an early start.

Female Wheatear- my first for the year. I think the first time my first for the year has been a female rather than a male.

Ruff

Seemingly more Blackwits around today with an increase to around 50 birds on the Ferry field including this colour ringed bird below

Reed Buntings along Long Pool were singing away in the bright conditions

The Cattle Egret was in the field opposite our house this afternoon

Raven at Church Norton

Weasel (above and below)