Rickys Birding Blog: First half of May ,Bee Eater and a Local Lifer!!

So the first half of May at the patch and with most returnee migrants ticked off I was hoping for something exciting ! So on the 2nd May a quick visit from work I picked up great views of 2x Treecreepers and my favourite bird the mighty Bullfinch, in fact male & female ( not easy to pick up now in May through the summer )3x Blackcaps,1x Green woodpecker and 1 X Kestrel as I approached the broad I watched a Hobby go over ,west towards Whitlingham. On the broad was Comorant , grey heron,1x common sandpiper and Herring gulls. Then a reeling Gropper! I patiently waited as it showed for a bit and managed a few digi scope pictures as it reeked away in the rain-what a bird

Grasshopper Warbler

Then on the 4 th may- 2x swifts over house!!!

I walked down to the marsh picking up Sparrowhawk, Kestrel ,2x Stock Doves and a pair of Gadwall in dyke/channel . Also my first Reed Warbler was picked up , this nicely completed my targeted returnee migrants to the patch

Also of note my first Orange Tip butterflies adding to the Peacocks and Holly Blues. Then at the Broad It was very noticeable for the lack of no Hirundines untill I got closer and picked up just a couple of Swallows passing through , with a pair of Gadwall,4x Tufted ducks and a Great created grebes on the water. On the shingle Arm I picked up 2x Common Sandpiper,1x Grey Heron as a Little Egret flew east over broad.

The Grasshopper Warbler was still showing and reeling so a nice few moments were spent soaking that sound up and 2x Swifts passed overhead .
Then I Bumped into fellow birder Chippy who joined me as I finished the circuit and picking up a few more male Reed buntings (7 in total equalling my previous highest count). To finish off I picked up a few Swifts over enjoyed a stunning male Bullfinch "chewing the bud" in the gorgeous sunlight.

6th may another patch visit

Sparrowhawk was picked up as arrived and soon after a hoovering Kestrel .A Jay flew pass as watched a Treecreeper " creep" and a cracking Kingfisher flew over the marsh towards the Broad .

Kestrel

Treecreeper

3x oystercatchers,4x X Lapwings, 1x Common Sandpiper. On the water was 4x gadwall(6 total) ,2x Tufted ducks ,2x Great created Grebes and 3x common terns fishing

5x Stock Doves flew in and joined the ever present Pied Wagtails on the "arm spit" and I made my way back . I made a point of doing a day list and managed to hit a total of 55 species for the day which wasn't bad considering a few givens were dipped

Also a quick lifer on the 10 th May at Whitligham as a message from Drew telling me he had found 3 X Black Terns! Superb bird and in summer plumage too.My 270th uk Bird. A big thanks to Drew for the heads up was nice to watch these birds go about there business's along with James ( birds and beer) and local birder Jake .

A very distant record shot of 1 of 3 Black Terns(no.270)

Also of note on the 5th may I had up to 16x swifts over my Street, just love the sound of these screaming overhead.

Now to tonight (15th May) when I decided to get the long staying Bee Eater (ok 5 days but long for one of these!) I picked up James Emerson on route and we meet Yorkie up at East Somerton .Some nice pictures were taken as it showed well before taking off to feed for a while and then perched again. It was nice to have the bird to ourselves other then a couple of Local birders. Also good to catch up with James & Yorkie and plenty of chat about what Rarities have been turning up in the country.
A few pictures below