Carlton Marsh

The highlights of today were; Redshank 2, Little Egret 2, Grey Wagtail 2 (on breeding territory) Redpoll 1, Yellow Bunting one singing male, Chiffchaff 6 singing and Buzzard 2.

This afternoon Chris Parkin counted 32 Comma butterflies - a new spring record! The previous highest count was 18 on April 1st 2011.

The Egrets don't appear to have roosted tonight, but Dave Standish 's reward was the night flight of the Bittern. At 18.50hrs it flew high over and around the marsh repeatedly emitting the Gull-like call, before leaving south 10 minutes later. This probably means that the bird is finally going home, perhaps to continental Europe?
As usual Male and female Tawnies called at dusk.