Tuesday April 5

My first evening visit this year coincided with bright sunshine and a light westerly breeze.

The low evening sun is a bit of a mixed blessing. Look in the right direction and you get fantastic views of birds which may be having difficulty squinting back.

Pied Wagtail

Unfortunately the approach to the pool and flash field by the shortest route is very much in the wrong direction. I arrived at the pool having seen nothing, and possibly having stepped over a photographer who was stalking the wildlife very professionally, while I presumably blundered past him. Sorry.

The birds on the flash field had a very familiar feel; two Redshanks, four Green Sandpipers, 33 Teal, two Snipe. A couple of Chiffchaffs and a Swallow were the only summer migrants on show.

The sun sank below the horizon and I headed back. As I approached the Tawny Owl tree I stopped to see if it was there. It was. Normally, in the morning, the owl is very hard to approach. The same cannot be said of the evening. I found I could walk right up to the tree.

Tawny Owl at 20.05

By the time I was back at the car Tawny Owls were calling everywhere, and two Song Thrushes were engaged in a vocal battle before they turned in.