20th April

I had a call from Will Bowell this morning, informing me that Mandarins were back on the Welland in Market Deeping - I popped down and soon located a female just west of the Old Coach House, and took this photo with my phone:


More plastic madness...

The newly-reformed active yearlister Bowell was getting twitchy by early afternoon, keen for new ticks. So, when the Hoopoe at Upper Sheringham (Norfolk) came on the pager as 'still present', there wasn't alot going to get in the way of him and the bird. I decided to go with him, although in hindsight lazing around on my arse at home would have been the more sensible option - lots of midweek brigade, no Hoopoes and a bad accident on the A47 made the afternoon somewhat more unpleasant than we had hoped for.

A quick look at BLGP on our return in the evening produced a passage wader at last(!) - a Common Sandpiper was buzzing around the New Works. Typically, there was absolutely nothing else of interest.