Hip, Hip, Hip, Hooray

Wall to wall sunshine was the order of the day, just the ticket for a trip along the coast to St Mary's and then onto Druridge Pools and Cresswell.  And just as well as the breeze off the sea kept temperatures pinned down to a chilly 10 deg C. The weekend migrants of Garganey, Avocet and Yellow Wagtails were all conspicuous by their absence. The same couldn't be said for easter holiday makers.

Sand Martins were hawking over the wetland at St Mary's and over the pools at Druridge. I saw my first Sandwich Terns of the year at Cresswell and I finally bagged Stock Dove for 2010 in fields between Druridge Pools and Widdrington. A lone Wheatear was seen from the Budge hide at Druridge and Tree Sparrows were seen on the path down to the hide at Cresswell and in hedgerows along the fields west of Druridge.

Lapwing on nest

Stock Dove at last - pic ruined by heat haze!

4 Sand Martins and a Chiffchaff

Got a report of a Common Crane today near Eshott so I fired up the Quattro and spent an hour scanning the fields where it was reported. Couldn't find it but saw 3 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and got some recordings of Skylark and Lapwings, the latter displaying with some impressive aerobatics. 31 seconds into the following recording you can hear the powerful wing beats of a Lapwing as it displays.



Turns out I was looking in the wrong field for the Crane. Birding Sometimes has a very helpful map here. And Dusted Off Bins has managed some pics.

Next it was a flying visit to East Chevington. I had 4 Sand Martins flying northwards and a Chiffchaff in the trees north of the reserve by the pay and display car park.