Plenty of stuff around for the good numbers of visitors that visited Elmley over the weekend.
Where to start? The 3 spoonbills remained faithful to the Flood most of the time, although they can sometimes be difficult to see when they choose to feed in the deeper channels. Still at least 3 garganey about - a pair on the pools by Kingshill Farm are showing on & off (although they left it until this evening to appear today, disappointing most of their potential admirers) and a drake at Wellmarsh last night. Passage waders have included up to 8 spotted redshank, 4 greenshank, 2 ruff & 90 whimbrel. A common sandpiper was on the Flood tonight and there were 2 wood sandpipers elsewhere on the reserve. Still a few grey plover & dunlin about, although up to 80 turnstone were roosting at Wellmarsh. Birds of prey were very much in evidence, with the ring-tail hen harrier still about, as were a merlin, 2 peregrine and 3 buzzard. 4 hobby were seen today, also a sparrowhawk & the usual loads of marsh harriers. The short-eared owl also lingers - hunting along the counterwall earlier today, before giving a marsh harrier some half-hearted grief at Sharfleet this evening. The first two little terns of the year appeared briefly at Wellmarsh y/day afternoon and up to 12 common terns are daily over the reserve. 3 bearded tits were seen from Southfleet hide. Other migrants included a blackcap at Kingshill, the odd wheatear, 3 swallow around the carpark this afternoon and lots of sedge warblers & yellow wagtails. A "channel wagtail" type (probably a hybrid blue-headed x yellow - they're tricky things!) was reported along the access track today. Med gulls still very present in large numbers, with 150+ today. The first dragonflies of the year - hairy hawkers - were on the wing on Saturday.
More sunshine forecast for tomorrow, so doubtless we'll be busy again.
I just wish it would rain...