March 2008
The first day of Spring.
21/03/08
A Great Crested Grebe on the River Stour at Grove ferry.
March the 21st, officially the first day of Spring. A stiff North Easterly wind made it feel like the 1st day of Winter. A half hearted attempt to see if any Garganey had arrived, produced nothing, as much of the morning was spent in the hides, sheltering from the wind. Good light was available, and Long-tailed Tits were easily photographed in the reserve entrance. I walked up the river for a change, seeing a solitary Great Crested Grebe, and several Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers were seen and heard on the other side of the river bank. Cetti’s Warblers are now in full voice, with several staking there territorial claims. Nothing out of the ordinary was noted and I found Martyn Wilson, Pete Solly and Allan Ashdown in the Harrison’s Drove hide. There were 6 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, a Ruff and a Green Sandpiper feeding on the main pool. Also, 2 Water Pipits, one nearly into summer plumage, were noted. A trip to the Marsh hide was largely uneventful, with the time passed watching 3 Marsh Harriers flush the well hidden Common Snipe from there resting places. I then left, and had 30 minutes at Clowes Wood, where I met Mike Gould, whom was lucky enough to photograph a Brambling earlier. We noted a single Siskin in the Tit and Finch flock, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker allowed a few hurried photo’s, before flying off.