Tuesday 12th April

Well after yesterday I wasn’t expecting much, but I was wrong.

As yesterday a scan from the car park revealed nothing of interest, I was half way round when I noticed Steve Haynes again on the car park, this time there were no Little Gull, I carried on around then picked up a Kittiwake tucked up against the far shore. I phone Steve to see if he had seen it, but he had already left!

Anyway he was soon back and managed to see it from the car park as it slowly drifted out towards the middle. There was little around apart from that but at the far end Bobby D appeared coming the other way. I was impressed that he had managed to get over that quickly, apparently though he had got here first. He seemed confused when I asked him had he seen it. By this time the bird had drifted towards the far end, so Bob left me and returned to the car park.

Not knowing quite what to do this afternoon I took a stroll around the Botts Green area, Steve had text me to say he had seen Wheatear, so I went in search of. I parked up as a large female Sparrowhawk drifted over, then I picked up three Wheatear in a ploughed field, then a flock of between 60-80 Linnet, also seen here were c.10 Golden Plover, 4 Fieldfare and last but certainly not least a Red Kite!

On the way home I dropped back into the Reservoir to see if the Kittiwake was still there. It was, tucked up against the bank as it had been this morning. Then I picked up a Little Gull then five more they literally seemed to just drop out of the sky. At this point a speed boat went out and put the gull up but they were all still present when I left at 4.30pm. Joy now wants to go for a walk so we’ll see if they are still present presently.

Well Joy and I went round again early evening, with all the exercise I’m getting the weight should be dropping off me – unfortunately it isn’t! But I digress, the six Little Gull were still around but unfortunately the Kittiwake had departed for pastures new. However, another year tick for the reservoir awaited me in the field on Bexhill Lane with three Wheatear. Back at the car park Julien and Tom were scanning for inside the force field (old joke) but by now we were down to one Little Gull.