Channel Wagtail and the century!

Having missed part of the Easter weekend travelling back from Islay I was back on patch on the 23rd and there had been a bit of a clear out with many of the Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Rouzels no longer about. Lound Lakes was pretty quiet on the wildfowl front but the female Black Redstart was still kicking around as was a Wheatear and a singing Lesser Whitethroat.

As soon as I entered the patch on the west side of Hopton to year ticks appeared, another Lesser Whitethroat and a very vocal Sedge Warbler. It was pretty quiet after that, apart from a pair of Grey Partridge at the sewage works and a male Ring Ouzel near the old sewage works, while on the butterfly front amongst the more common species there were many Orange Tips about and I bagged a butterfly tick in the shape of a Green Hairstreak at the Sewage Works!

Monday the 25th again was very quiet with little new making an appearance (except Mute Swan on Lound Lakes!). As I walked along the coast path north of Corton I noticed a Yellow Wgtail on the pitch n'putt course, then another and another! There were nine in total and one I suspected was a Blue-headed, but upon closer inspection (and with the help of the Lounge Lizards) it turned out to be a Channel Wagtail! Basically a washed out Blue-headed!!!! Nice all the same but no extra points! The weekend ended with me breaking through the 100 point barrier, 101pts so far.
Jackdaw, Port Askaig

Great Northern Diver, Near Islay

Emperor Moth, Islay Ferry

Green Hairstreak, Corton

Yellow Wagtail, Corton

Yellow Wagtail, Corton

Yellow & 'Channel' Wagtail, Corton

'Channel' Wagtail, Corton

Eagles, Kites & Sardinians................

.............are just a few of the things I missed on patch while offshore. So when I finally hit my patch on the weekend 16th/17th April I was full of hope. First thing I noticed was spring was in full flow and I racked up many a tick quickly, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Swallows, Sand Martins, Yellow Wagtail and Wheatears everywhere, with a male Ring Ouzel the highlight, kicked out the ditch on the south side of Corton sewage works. A fly by Sandwich Tern and female Marsh Harrier on the 17th left me on 98pts. However, it was off patch that things took off. Along Jew Lane, Bradwell I was photographing butterflies when I heard a loud tacking. After a bit of searching (and the help of a dog walker) three Ring Ouzels flushed out of the bushes, 2 males and a female. In the field next to the lane two Yellow Wagtails flitted around and a Wheatear busily fed while two Buzzards soared overhead (a scarce bird here)
Comma, Bradwell
Blackcap, Bradwell

Ring Ouzel, Bradwell