Both CETTI'S singing at Stewartby and Rookery waders

I arrived at Stewartby Lake at 8.35 to concentrate on getting good views of a Cetti's Warbler for the year - I'd only had glimpses earlier this week. The bird 200m north-east of the gull watchpoint was singing occasionally and gradually moved another 100m further along the shoreline bushes without giving even a glimpse.

I walked down to the west (Marston) corner and heard the other bird straightaway but it wasn't until shortly before 10.00 that it eventually decided to show, giving excellent views for a minute or two sub-song singing and full song too from the depth of a thorn bush.

Barry and Wendy Nightingale arrived shortly thereafter as did Bob Hook and Judith Knight. The bird had already moved 70m along the shore line bushes and had moved another 30m or so when we heard it again and Barry and I had further (brief) views of it in a bush before flying back in the direction whence it came. These two really are elusive little so and so's! (The Cetti's, not Barry and Wendy!).

Nothing much at all had been seen on the lake by any of us (tho' I'd had close views of a Kingfisher by the Marston stream inlet earlier) so I headed around to Rookery South ClP for 3/4 hour. Barry and Wendy arrived too and we three enjoyed good if distant views of the goodies there.....5 BLACK-TAILED GODWITS remained, inc a pair indulging in some springtime action,13 Redshanks, 3 RUFF, a pair of Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and a few Lapwings completed the wader list

5 Shoveler (4 drakes), a single drake Red Crested Pochard and the pair of Pintail were all still present.

Martin J Palmer