The sad news: Megan, our faithful Border Collie cross and my bird watching companion for so many years sadly passed away late April. She had been slowing down for a while but still loved her walks. On the Thursday of her passing she collapsed while just starting a walk at Burwell Fen and had to be put to sleep. We sadly miss her as does Max, our Jack Russell, who is missing his walking buddy.
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| Megan: waiting for something to happen..... |
Highlights from March to end of April
March spent in and around Cambridgeshire/Norfolk visiting various sites mainly around Wicken and The Ouse Washes, highlight being the Great White Egret at Welney on the 16th March.
Start of April saw us in Donegal for the annual gathering of the family. Great to catch up with everyone and an excuse for a bit of birdwatching in a very unwatched area. In all the years of visiting I've never seen another birdwatcher!
2nd April: first male Wheatear of the spring found in the cattle field down by the airport. A almost guaranteed place to find them!
Plenty of Divers (Great Northern, Black and Red Throated in the bays especially following the strong winds that battered us for a couple of days. Long Tailed Ducks (100+) in Mulladearg Bay along with smaller numbers of Black Guillemot, Guillemot and Razorbill. Two Chough were present near the house. Sadly numbers down from the previous year.
24th April: Afternoon visit to Burwell and as I came over the bridge was surprised to discover five Garganey on the 'Cattle Pool'.
25th April: Great White Egret on Barker's Fen and a male and female Garganey resting on the bank at Tubney Fen.
26th April: First Cuckoo of the year heard at Burwell Fen.
28th-30th April saw my annual trip to Norfolk for a few days of solid birdwatching. Started at Brancaster with an evening stroll producing three Grasshopper Warblers in clear view along the coastal path. Next morning in the same area three Whimbrel passed over. Seven were later seen at Brancaster along with a Spoonbill and Bittern.
29th April: Titchwell produced a nice group of Red Crested Pochard and a couple of Little Tern. Sadly it was also the last time that I saw my Tonta DA-1 Butterfly Adaptor for digiscoping and it's black draw string case. If anyone has found it I hope you are enjoying using it!
30th April: Choseley Barns. Having made two unsuccessful trip during the last couple of days managed to locate not one but four female and 2 male Dotterel showing well amongst the stony ground.
Later on in the afternoon I visited for the first time Kelling Water Meadows. A really nice location producing Black Tailed Godwit, Avocet and Stonechat amongst other things.
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| Kelling Water Meadows: TG0943, |
A pleasant Fish and Chip supper at Sheringham was improved by 24 Turnstone begging me for the odd piece of fish!
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