From John
Took a quick afternoon walk down to the hide. Good numbers of Shoveller showing and a few Pintails - Wigeon are still hanging about. Loads of Teal.
Dave showed up at the hide and amazingly spotted a male Wheatear in a distant ploughed field adjacent to the reserve - goodness knows how many hundreds of yards away! Made a mental note to get same make of scope - although rather attached to my old Kowa!
On returning homewards for tea, spotted a warblery bird in hedge about 7 yards away. Unfortunately did not have have binoculars and could only eyeball this bird. Kept up a gentle pace with it as it picked nonchalantly in the undergrowth - and because of its size, general dullness and lack of song, I put my money on a female Chiffchaff.
On arriving back on the marsh edge, I again saw a single Twite in the hawthorn bush in front of my house.
Unusual sighting in the garden this morning - mopping up remains of old stale loaf - Six Magpies. I have forgotten what precise momentous event they foretell in folk legend! Could it be that I am due to win the Lottery?