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Bits and Bobs

A quiet weekend, out birding on the patch early this morning. Took the saw with me for a bit of maintenance, and although I only cut back a few bushes the difference between today and this time last month is striking. Not much in the way of birds, although there are at least 4 Chiffchaff on the reserve now. A pair of Little Egret heading upriver was the highlight and now my max count at Church Marsh! Rockland was similarly quiet, but again presumably a second pair of Little Egret were heading down river.

Hardley Flood, and the water levels were high meaning no Waders and not much of anything else, bar my 3rd pair of Little Egrets today. With nothing doing I stopped off for a quick stroll round Sisland Carr, followed by a glance over Claxton Marshes in the hope that the Ringtail Hen Harrier would pass through. I had to make do with a distant Barn Owl.

Bird of the day for me was a Common Buzzard seen from the garden, being hassled by the local Corvids.

One of those weekends when I toyed with going for the Dusky Warbler, didn't, and checked RBA too late to be in with a chance of the 5(?) Two-barred Crossbill at Lynford. Always next weekend.

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