Avocet


         A beautiful day and a leisurely five hour circuit of the realignment area.   Waders were 27 Avocets plus at least 18 well-grown young, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 3 Redshanks and a Greenshank.   Wildfowl were 5 late dark-breasted Brent Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 50 Shelducks plus 6 young, 33 Mallard and 4 Tufted Ducks.   Other waterbirds were 17 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, a Cormorant, 4 Moorhens, a Little Grebe and 8 Black-headed Gulls.   At 1135, an Arctic Tern came from inland and continued NE out to sea.
         Two Common Buzzards and 2 Kestrels were seen and other birds of note were 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 13 Swallows, 6 House Martins, 14 Common Swifts and a Spotted Flycatcher.