Spring at Last!

The weather in our part of the world has been amazing for April -now gone down as the warmest and driest on record. As a consequence we've been out and about rather a lot at weekends, visiting as many reserves as we could hoping to catch glimpses of the arriving migrants. At home (here on the west Mendips) we have seen larks, linnets and chiffchaffs, also some spectacular chaffinches in the garden as well as numerous goldfinches and green finches.

On a visit over to Newport RSPB reserve we saw mostly waders, including an enormous flock of curlews and ducks, we  were also lucky enough to see a Great crested grebe on her nest.

The following weekend 16th/17th April we were visiting family in Kent and on our way we stopped for a bite to eat near Wantage and caught sight of a red kite which flew directly over us. Too quick for a photo.

 On the Sunday we found ourselves at Elmley Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey -what a fantastic place and the weather was perfect. Quite along drive to reach the car park then a good walk to the reserve hides -we only had time to visit the nearest one. Well worth the effort -large numbers of nesting avocets were the main attraction but there were large numbers of other ducks and water birds, too many to list here. We watched a marsh harrier hunting and just as we were leaving someone pointed out a Little Gull amongst a flock of black headed gulls.

 

 Avocets

On the way back we saw reed buntings having a fine old time amongst the reeds next to the path.

Reed Bunting

We watched Skylarks flying up and one landed just by the car.

 

 Skylark

There was also a close encounter with a redshank.

 Redshank

 Lapwing

Finally we were positive that we saw Yellow Wagtails flying over the car - they had been reported the day before, a wonderful morning's birding for us.