April 2008
Grove ferry
13/04/08
My first Sedge Warbler of the year.
After a tiring week at Euro Disney with the Grandchildren, and the only bird seen being a strange looking large Duck, it was good to have a couple of hours at Grove ferry this morning. New arrivals for me this year were 4 Sedge Warblers, seen flitting about the reed beds, with a few more heard deeper in, a Yellow Wagtail, which flew over the main pool in front of the ramp, and a pair of Sand Martins, which were also the first ones of the year for me. Not a lot else was noted, the best being 10 Tufted Duck and 4 Pochard from the Turf field hide, along with a Kingfisher and a Great Crested Grebe, 4 Sky Larks and 2 Meadow Pipits from the Harrison’s Drove hide, with a solitary Shell Duck and a Redshank, and a Green Sandpiper, 5 Ruff and 6 Redshank being seen from the Ramp. Also noted were 10 Shell Duck from the ramp, a flock of approx 10 Linnets, 4 Marsh Harriers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and along the river bank Chiffchaff, Blackcap Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits were seen, but in the main, Migrants were conspicuous in there absence. They will no doubt be arriving shortly.