No Norman at the moment, however Brian and I nonetheless zipped right down to MInsmere to see if we might meet up with the Bitterns. We hadn’t even left the automotive park once we heard our first Nightingale of the 12 months! After an hour or so in Island Mere Disguise (enlivened by a distant Crane and a pair of charming Little Grebes – Brian’s photograph!) we lastly loved cheap views of a smallish Bittern in a reed-filled ditch.
We carried on across the reserve, including Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Barnacle Goose, Bar-tailed Godwit, Med Gull and all the opposite anticipated East Scrape regulars, earlier than an fulfilling lunch on the reserve centre.
Following a fruitless seek for Ouzels, Stone Curlews and Dartfords by the Dunwich sandpit, we ended the day at Hen Reedbeds, the place the one wader on the Disguise Scrape was a Noticed Redshank!