Turtle Dove and Cuckoo at Grove

 I arrived at Grove at 6.30 then spent the next 2 hours walking from the ramp to the river then down to Harrisons then back to the ramp then repeating the circuit. The hope had been to find a grasshopper warbler...........but I failed.

Reeds in the early morning mist

As I walked from the car to the ramp I heard a turtle dove and throughout the walk the reed, sedge and Cetti’s warblers were all in good voice as were the common whitethroats. Other warblers seen - chiffchaff, willow warbler (1 only) and blackcap.

Slightly more interesting were the 2 nightingales that were singing along the river (plus another West of the main lake at Stodmarsh) and from Harrison’s drove I saw then spotted a distant cuckoo.

Cuckoo

Reed buntings seemed to be present in better numbers though I again failed to detect the presence of a bearded tit.

Eventually I connected with Martyn and Mark who had been down to the Marsh hide but they too had failed to find a gropper.

After that I drove round to Stodmarsh and watched for a hobby from the Lampern wall.......another “no show”  though a pair of marsh harriers put on a good performance.

Pair of Marsh Harriers

 A grey heron (1 of 4 seen today) flew along the Lampern wall and 9 common terns were on the main lake today but there was a conspicuous lack of hirundines – all I saw today were 2 swallows.

Grey Heron