Latest reports from the Marshes

 Pete Lambert wrote yesterday:

 I met George today over Walthamstow Res and felt guilty after he said I'd not sent out any Marsh news lately, so hears a brief bit to catch up.

Saturday 19 March  My first sand martins of the year, with two flying over Pymmes Brook at Stonebridge Lock briefly, also saw a skylark flying over calling and a similar siskin.

Tuesday 22 March  My first blackcap of the year, a male singing at Wild Marsh East.  Two kestrels flying around over Clendish Marsh, with that fluttery wing effect they seem to do when displaying.  But then, the female shot down like a stone to the plane trees at the south end and landed at an old crow's nest there!  The male perched nearbye her.  Haven't seen them at this nest on the two visits since, but worth keeping an eye out for.  (On our last survey day Ray said kestrels have bred iin old crows nests before - psychic Ray?)

Thursday 24 March  Woke up early, saw it was foggy, but thought I'd go out anyway, with memories of 14 November 1997 when I walked round Wild Marsh East as the fog lifted to find a great grey shrike sitting on top of a tree.  Today was not quite so dramatic, but was a first for the Marsh.

I came in from the East Bridge, walked by the poplars at the north on my way to the Sandpiper Bridge.  Looked in the poplars as I walked by but only saw a few wood pigeons.  Had gone on a few yards when I heard waxwing calls.  Looked back to find a waxwing sitting near the top of the poplars and found two more nearbye!  After sending out text messages I walked on to the bridge and down the channel and six minutes after I first saw them, lots more calls of waxwings and FOUR waxwings flew out of the poplars and went SE towards Walthamstow.

Another surprise when I was at the SW corner of Clendish Marsh.  Trying to work out how many song thrushes were singing there, I hung around for a few minutes, looked at a group of greenfinch, then put my bins on three other birds in the trees.  First one was a female brambling!  The other were a pair of chaffinch, and the male chaffinch kept chasing the brambling away.  Very rare for me to see a brambling sitting, usually just pick them up on call when they fly over.

Saturday 26 March  Comparatively quiet, although two singing blackcaps (George had 3 later) and some more sand martins.  George and Terry have both seen the albino starling since our survey date, but not me.