[DavyG]

I haven't been to Minsmere since we saw the Bluethroat a few weeks ago, so I'm really looking forward to next weekend.

The weather isn't too bad in Suffolk at the moment, hopefully it will be a tad warmer next weekend though.

Here's the latest report from Minsmere:

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

A red-rumped swallow spent the evening in front of the Island Mere hide yesterday, arriving with a large flock of sand martins and barn swallows. Red-rumped swallows breed in Southern Europe and this bird has flown too far north on spring migration. This represents the fifth record for Minsmere and the earliest spring record for Suffolk. We have now confirmed 11 booming bittern territories, the highest number at Minsmere since at least 1976, and birds can be heard booming in the late afternoon and early evening, particularly near the Island Mere hide. Avocet numbers have increased to a peak of 183 and up to six ruffs and seven spotted redshanks and a single common sandpiper have been seen. Up to 23 summer-plumaged Mediterranean gulls on the scrape have provided quite a spectacle. Two summer-plumaged black-necked grebes made a brief visit on 5 April when a common crane also flew south. A yellow wagtail accompanied a white wagtail this morning, adding a splash of colour to the grazing marshes on the levels amongst the Konik horses.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all next weekend.

Dave