Spring....and the tides to prove it

This week I was delighted to find my first spring migrants, albeit the sand martin was rushing back South over the yeo at the kind of speed that made it clear it had realised it's mistake.

The first wheatear was unusually skittish among the new tide line of the channel view seawall




As always it was a male. These seem to migrate a few days before the females in this area every year.

The tides have been particularly high this week getting to 14.8 metres at times. It is difficult to demonstrate how high this is in still pics but this shot shows the top of the gate that we use to go along the seawall.



Looking towards the Kenn estuary this pillbox is on the grassy bank way above the level of even high tides but here only the top is visible



The rarest patch birds this week was a pair of Egyptian geese on the new pool by Blakes pools



Only my second patch record I believe and presumably the ones seen by Paul Chapman crossing the M5 a few weeks ago.

Down on the levels bitterns are booming and I heard 5 individuals on a day there midweek. Unfortunately I saw not a hint of one. However the harriers  were a bit more showy and I have immortalised them with my usual photographic skill





This really is an excellent chance to see them displaying and a visit to Ham Wall is strongly endorsed

Finally a session with the volunteers at Portbury Wharf was followed by an hour in the hide hoping for rare gulls. Surprise surprise... there weren't any but this was once again a cracking spot to see Roe deer close up



With the rain and wind due to take a short break I am confident of seeing more migrants next week and hopefully the floods at Dowlais will subside enough to encourage more lapwings to join the 6 currently checking it out


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