My area 9 walk today was rather good – I didn’t get nearly as wet as I thought I might when I looked at the forecast.  And the water levels between the railway line and Rye Farm were “just right” for both wildfowl and waders.  Not as many Lapwing as there had been last Monday, when there must have been 1000 or more, but there were other things passing through.

On the wildfowl front, as well as the usual geese, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Coots and Moorhen, there were c 20 Pintail, about the same of Shoveler, 2 Shelduck and a single Gadwall.  And with the 70ish Lapwing were 2 Golden Plover, 2 Dunlin, 6 Black-tailed Godwits and (I think) 4 Ruff.  Two of the nests in the little heronry had sitting tenants.

I heard my first Chiffchaff of the year singing.

But Les saw a Hawfinch on the Downslink (north of Cat & Canary)!