CETTI'S WARBLER at Harrold and up to 5 CURLEWS at Thurleigh Airfield

A very different story to last weekend - it was a pleasure to be out and about and great that we have daylight earlier so we can enjoy a peaceful dawn without all those terrible humans spoiling it...

06.30 at Harrold offering standard stuff, still two Oystercatchers and the injured Pink-foot. The 13 Goldeneye were enjoying the spring weather with much head tossing. The pair of Red-crested Pochards have been joined by another female. While counting, I thought I heard a Cetti's Warbler over the other side. On listening (hard to do in Spring at Harrold with the constant honking from the Canada Geese), I could only hear a Wren so assumed I'd heard that. I then went to the end of the lake to view and count the birds behind the island. A few more half-hearted snatches of Cetti's-like calls and then the full song. Excellent - I'm not sure if this has been recorded at the site before - but it is now! I walked around to the small patch of reeds and heard it again. Then it moved into the willows where I saw it before it crept out of view. At least three Herons nests and plenty of young Cormorants in nests too.

Radwell still contains loads of birds - a staggering 238 Mute Swans, 458 Wigeon and at least five Heron's nests. Captives on the viaduct pit still surviving - 2 Red-crested Pochards, 2 Bar-headed Geese, one Egyptian and 1 Paradise Shelduck.

Then to Thurleigh where I was greeted with bubbling EURASIAN CURLEWS - three in flight and displaying actively. Really something special to see and hear in Bedfordshire. I saw one displaying beyond the car lot too so four, maybe five birds. I went around to Keysoe Row West and found two on the ground. Scanning from both sides revealed no Wheatears yet, but must be any day now. Lots of Skylark and a few Meadow Pipits in song.

Back home to some gardening.

Richard Bashford