Top(hill) Birding

Out with Pete today and as there was nothing in particular to go for and we hadn’t done Tophill Low for a while we thought we’d go there first and then maybe carry on to the coast, upon arrival we decided to do the North side first, took a look over D Reservoir that initially seemed really quiet but there was actually quite a few Ducks on mainly Tufted with a few lingering Goldeneye, a load of Hirundines feeding along the far wall included my first House Martins for the year, we carried on to North Marsh where several Sedge Warblers were singing away but the real stars were a very showy pair of Cetti’s Warblers one of which posed on the screen next to the hide within 10 mins of us getting there, we stayed with them for quite a while getting more good views of them in the reeds etc and although they returned to the screen on a couple more occasions they unfortunately didn’t come out on top again, also a couple of Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier went over, a Cuckoo was calling and a young Grass Snake slithered through the grass. Eventually tearing ourselves away we headed to the top end where a pair of Garganey had been seen on Hempholme Meadows Pools but the river bank which runs quite close to there is unfortunately a public footpath and a large group with a pack of dogs had been through and flushed everything so we returned to the car for lunch. After lunch we did the South side which was pretty uneventful until we reached South Marsh East, here we found a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, a drake Red Crested Pochard and several Marsh Frogs entertained, we carried on to Watton Borrow Pits which played host to a couple of Little Egrets and at least two Lesser Whitethroats were singing, by this time it had got to 4pm and we deemed it too late to go to the coast so we headed back up to Hempholme Meadows to see if the Garganey had returned, they hadn’t but all in all a very enjoyable day. There was a little detour off to Wiggington on the way home when news of a Hoopoe there came through, unfortunately there had been no further sightings when we got there but hopefully it may get found again tomorrow.

young Moorhens already

Cetti's posing

pair of Buzzards

Cetti's seen several more times in reeds etc

Willow Warbler

amourous Marsh Frogs were being very loud

another little brown job that cocks its tail