Friday 17th February

Despite the date the warmer weather suggested Spring was already here; the reduction in wader and wildfowl numbers and the increase in birdsong supported this impression. Offshore the flat calm conditions saw an increase in diver and grebe numbers with eight Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver and 23 Great-crested Grebe. counts from the estuary included 700 Dunlin, 128 Grey Plover, 64 Knot, 25 Sanderling and 16 Red-breasted Merganser. Elsewhere a Cirl Bunting was singing from the golf course, four Snipe and two Shoveler were on the Main Pond and three Goldcrest were in the Entrance Bushes.