Evening Grasshopper Warbler was a consolation

Light breezes again mainly fro NE to east. It started raining about 08:00 and pretty much continued on and off for most of the day till 18:00.

South shore

A check just after the rain started located:

Wheatear 3 on Ocean Edge foreshore

Rock Pipits 2 between lighthouse and waterfall.

No sign of Rock Pipit(s) that held winter territory on the rocky outcrop to the east of the saltmarsh 

The lighthouse area Rock pipit.

A check of the foreshore at 16:45, while it was still raining, located:

Wheatear 7

By 18:00, the rain had stopped and all but 1 Wheatear had left.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This nice Mute family shot by Phoebe Russell shows that I 
miscounted the cygnets yesterday. There are an impressive nine.

Janet confirmed, that apart from the Mute above there were 6 on the main pond plus 2 on Tim Butler pond.

No sign of the female Mallard and her brood again today.

A brief check of the west side of the reserve at 17:00, still light rain (MD)

Swallow 4 + 1 

House Martin 5 + 4

Both the above were low heading south

Grasshopper Warbler 1 reeling from a bush on the hill on the NW of the reserve. I nearly always find Grasshopper warbles both satisfying and frustrating at the same time.

Satisfying - as their song is unmistakable and usually clearly identifies where it's coming from.

Frustrating - as even knowing where it is you seldom get to see them.

Today was such a day! It was singing  heartily, and I didn't want to disturb it, so I satisfied myself just videoing a bush!

Although the bird is in this bush or the scrub just behind, this clip doesn't show it, but it does allow you to hear its song (apologies to birders who will know very well what they sound like, but many of this blog readers are not experienced birders, and may not recognise the song). It was still raining slightly the shadow at the top is from my hand keeping the rain off the camera - you might want to turn the volume up.