A count day at Whitlingham, and some glorious sunshine too. A flock of around 30 Redwings were in the trees along Whitlingham Lane, my latest patch record (although I wouldn't bet against beating it again on my next visit!). The two surviving Egyptian Goslings were on the main slipway, and a Chiffchaff, the first of six, was singing nearby. There were gulls spread out across the Great Broad, and I set about checking them for Med Gulls. I counted around 380 Black-headed Gulls, 6 Common Gulls, 6 Lesser Black-backs, 2 Herring Gulls but best of all, a Kittiwake! An excellent inland bird, and interesting to see near the other gulls to compare the structure. It flew further along the broad showing off the black legs, but a motorboat then went the length of the broad, putting all the gulls into the air.
Continuing around the broad I heard, and with a bit of patience saw, a Sedge Warbler. Interestingly this is about the time I would expect Sedge Warbler here, although birds like Willow Warbler and Blackcap would normally be in first. This suggests that the early spring migrants are backed up, but mid-to late spring migrants may well now arrive roughly as expected. On the broad a couple of Pochard lingered, and a summer-plumaged Little Grebe was diving near the island. There was no sign of any hirundines, although I have been told that Swallows have been seen on the past two days. A Peacock butterfly was my second butterfly of the year.
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