Tuesday 10th April

Monday was typical bank holiday, with play abandoned before a ball was delivered, we should get given  another day later in the year to replace it, although I appreciate rain was much needed.
Mindful of the showery weather I decided it was best to be in or near a hide, so headed for The Warren around midday for a few hours, who knew, maybe I would see an Osprey, everyone else seemed to be.
As I drove along the track to the car park a Roe Deer bounded from my left, in front of the car and through the adjacent field to my right, a lovely unexpected sighting.
The Moors pool was fairly dreary, save for some hirundine movement, a speculative Sparrowhawk, and a nesting Tree creeper. After watching not very much for quite a while, a Common Sandpiper showed on one of the islands which was at least a year tick.It was too cold for butterflies so no Orange tips could be photographed. I decided to relocate to the flashes.
Hear at least there was a bit of banter and good company, but it actually turned into a solid birding session, mainly because what was around showed really well up close to the hide. The Avocets periodically fed in the closest channel, giving as good a view as I have had of them over the last 18 months. Then a Common Gull showed up on the far side giving me my second year tick of the day. After an almighty shower, a Green Sandpiper also frequented the near channel, as did the Little Ringed Plovers, providing me with plenty of opportunity to play with my camera. Although not my first Green Sand sighting of the year, seeing the bird so close does show what a beautifully marked bird it actually is, something I think I get blaze too by late summer, and with conditions settling and the light quality good, it was a joy just to sit and enjoy the bird activity.

Green Sandpiper Upton Warren

On the way home I stopped off at Barnet Brook to find a pair of Swallows back in residence at their usual haunt, which was a  1st on my own local patch for the year ...