Three more

An early start to get down the central drove before work this morning. A clear frosty morning with a blue sky free from contrails as UK airspace is still closed due to volcanic ash from the eruption in Iceland.

Marsh Tit singing again at Keeper's Cottage but then nothing of note until a Green Sandpiper at the sewage works. A Corn Bunting singing between here and Padholme Pumping Station was the first tick and the first bird recorded here for 7 years.

The next tick came right at the end of the central drove where receding flooding on Garners had attracted a single summer plumaged Dunlin. A pair of Garganey were just about the only other birds of note on an otherwise wintery Nene Washes.

Finally cycling back a Whitethroat was singing near Fitzwilliam Bridge with another calling close by.

117 Corn Bunting
118 Dunlin
119 Whitethroat

Lesser Spot at last

Left home at 06:45 this morning and had only got as far as Keeper's Cottage when I heard a Grasshopper Warbler reeling from the hedge by the road. A most unlikely place to get one but it was singing quite strongly.

115 Grasshopper Warbler

A pair of Kingfishers were chasing each other around Castor Mill and by the time I got to the hanglands a nasty haar was rolling in from the east to replace the lovely suny start. An hour after setting off from home I was walking back north along the edge of the southern clearing when I saw a male Lesser Spot at the top of one ofthe trees. It showed really well, calling occasionally. So after two attempts at Old Sulehay and three here at Castor Hanglands it finally falls. Then again it took me six goes to get one at Old Sulehay last year.

116 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Crossbill - just

Another very frustrating morning, this time failing to encounter Lesset Spotted woodpecker at Castor Hanglands. It then looked like a dip on the Crossbills at Southey Wood but a party of 5 flying by calling late on just rescued the situation. Very poor view though.

114 Crossbill

House Martin

A little compensation for another fruitless search of the Old Sulehay area this morning was a House Martin fying around the house on my return.

113 House Martin

First long ride

A perfect morning for a ride out to the Nene Washes, although the still clear conditions would encourage many migrants to keep moving reducing the chances of any real goodies.

First up were noisy limosa Black-tailed Godwits, then a party of 3 Pintail and 3 Avocets at the east end. The latter is another species I did not get on last year's list. Finally a male Garganey flew along from the east and presumably the same bird was showing well on field 12 on my return.

The highlights though were a few wagtails which didn't add to the list, being subspecies. A corking male White Wagtail showed very well along the track and a Blue-headed Wagtail among the Yellows landed right next to me at one point. Unfortunately I couldn't get a photo of either.

On getting back to work just before 9 the chain broke on my bike crossing Stanley Park. Thank goodness that didn't happen when I was miles away!

109 Black-taied Godwit
110 Pintail
111 Avocet
112 Garganey

Barn Owl

Decided to go for a walk around Elton this evening as the weather was so nice and rewarded with a Barn Owl hunting near the old railway line towards Fotheringhay.

108 Barn Owl

Four more

A few days away and a few more migrants coming in meant some easy additions on the ride in to work via Orton BP and home via Ferry Meadows today.

104 Little Ringed Plover
105 Sedge Warbler
106 Yellow Wagtail
107 Common Tern