Craig Shaws Digiscoping Birding Blog: 15th April to 25th

15th April

Stood at the bottom of the garden and could here the first singing Whitethroat of the year. Also Great spotted Woodpecker drumming. After work headed for the patch stopped at the gate just before the reserve and picked up what i thought initially was going to be 4 Very Distant Cormorant, just a black dot in the sky. For some reason i thought id scope them anyway just in case. A good job i did as they turned into 4 Common Cranes....... booom patch tick. I watched them circle the reserve at distant for about an hour before loosing them in the sky heading north. Jack Snipe was the only other notable bird.

17th April

Hollesley rspb this am. First 2 Whimbrel of the year and a summer plumage Bar tailed Godwit. Little Ringed Plover, 7 Pink footed Geese roosted here 6 from Boyton. 1 1st Summer White-fronted goose still. Med gulls moving up n down river. Jack snipe still from river wall. Swallows now turning up and a few more Sedge Warblers now in. Blumin cold wind. 3 more Bar tailed Godwits dropped in later. Long staying Canalag below.

Popped down to Upper Hollesley Common where this stunning looking Male Redstart made an appearance.

April 18th

8 Redpoll still in the garden, over on the patch 32 Dunlin was a highlight.

April 19th

My first Willow Warblers of the year and actually from the garden. From here i nipped over to Upper Hollesley Common, A Firecrest was singing from the carpark, almost stood on my first Adder here for the site a young one that hissed like mad at me. Woodlarks were plentyful, still only a couple of Dartford Warblers 6 Redstarts at least and Blackcaps a plenty, in fact ive never seen so may in one small area excpet for when abroad. a Couple of Willow Warblers lots of chiffys and plenty of Goldcrest.

Back to Hollesley 4 Little Ringed Plover and 6 Yellow Wagtails.

April 20th

An amazing garden bird heard today Nightingale, id been searching the common for them yesterday but failed, so was very pleased to get it on the heard from the garden list. Nipped up to the sand quarry to find it there. Recorded it on the phone and got a couple of quick views.

April 21st

Still a very cool wind today at Hollesley but first Sandwich Tern of the year, plenty of Yellow Wagtails now and the white-fronted goose still. 5 Pink footed Geese, dropping in numbers now. Another Emperor moth to the garden lure.

23rd April

Hollesley was extremely good after work, 2 Cuckoo were singing distantly, a Water Pipit (tentatively) was on the flash but was very distant, it was certainly very grey and very pale. Greenshank was on the Winter flood that had little water in it now. 2 Jack Snipe again, many Yellow Wagtails including a female Blue Headed Wagtail. A cracking looking Wagtail. Only 4 Pink footed Geese now and the Whitefront still. Little Ringed Plover again. The First Reed Warblers of the year and 6 Whimbrel.

3 Common Sandpiper on the river together was also a first for the year.

24th April

Getting good now,as Im stood in the garden listening to Nightingale still from the Quarry, a Firecrest singing in the neighbours conifer, Blackcaps all around and a female Marsh harrier hunting the back field. 5 Redpoll still on feeders.

Back onto the patch, 2 new Ruff a cracking Black Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plover still, and 5 Bar-tailed Godwit. 8 Whimbrel with many more on the walk to Boyton. Yellow Wagtail at Boyton too but little else.

The heat haze now making any distant pictures impossible and not worth sharing.

25th April

Hollesley this am. Plenty of hirundines now going through, mainly Sand Martins, but with 10 House Martins, plenty of Swallows and my first Swift. 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 summer plumage Grey Plover and a Dunlin, 2 Ruff and a Greenshank. Juv white-fronted goose still with 4 pinks. Still some Yellow Wagtails.