This weather is just too much! A balmy 13 degrees in mid Feb? Mind you, this type of weather really primes you for the up and coming spring migration season, which is realistically only 3 weeks away from getting under way. There was some signs of movement this AM when 3 Pochard and 4 Tufted Duck were fresh in at Holes Bay south at another Pochard was at Hatch Pond. Along Nutcrack Lane 7 Cattle Egret were in the fields to the south of the road and 3 were seen along Holme lane earlier in the day. At Middlebere a ringtail Hen Harrier flew past the hide and c700 Avocet were roosting on the high tide. At Holton Pools 1 Water Pipit, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Kingfisher were logged and c40 Redwing and the Little Owl were seen in and around the reception building. At Upton CP good numbers of Shoveler and Pintail are still off the Stone Bench and in Holes Bay NE 600 Dunlin were feeding with 150 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Avocet and 3 Goldeneye. Poole Park the Mandarin was joined by 2 Australian Black Swans. The male Black Redstart was still behind the Thistle Hotel. The PCW Drain today saw a conservative count of 30 Chiffchaff along the channel which is a great mid Feb count…many of them were singing.

Pochard – Holes Bay South – Paul Morton

Tufted Duck – Holes Bay South – Paul Morton

Pochard – Hatch Pond – Rene Goad

Pintail – Upton CP – Clare Slade