Mystery of the LTD

Last night’s trap came up with my earliest Double-striped Pug and second earliest Engrailed while overhead 3 Golden Plover flew north and a Raven west.

Strange day at the pond with our walk to toft shallows producing only 2 Red-legged Partridge mainly because it was so blustery. One Water Rail was on show in the shallows and at least 5 Chiffchaff (10 on Monday) calling there. Just as the rain started my first Sand Martin of the year flew over the hide and the Great-northern Diver was spotted out in the centre.
Although we saw the Long-tailed Duck on Sunday Dave, Bob and I failed to locate it yesterday so presumed it had left so an excited Bob joined me in the visitor centre with a distant record shot of a Long-tailed Duck near the inlet. Personally it looked to be paler on the mantle and the facial pattern greyer than our over wintering bird so we went back out to hunt it down eventually finding it off lin croft point but the wind and waves made viewing difficult so not 100% certain we have a different bird.
Other sightings included Snipe, 6 Gadwall, 19 Teal, 4 Wigeon 12 Goldeneye, and 3 Buzzard while yesterday the albino Grey Squirrel was still around along with 3 Hare

Date, time	Az	Time	Az	El	Time	Az	Mag
3/19 04:21	SW 227°	04:26	SSE 154°	31°	04:31	E 79°	-1.1
3/19 05:57	W 258°	06:02	S 167°	72°	06:08	E 87°	-2.3
3/20 03:32	SW 217°	03:37	SE 148°	23°	03:42	E 80°	-0.6
3/20 05:08	WSW 251°	05:13	S 168°	62°	05:19	E 83°	-2.1
3/21 02:43	SSW 205°	02:48	SE 144°	16°	02:53	E 81°	0.4
3/21 04:19	WSW 243°	04:24	SSE 160°	51°	04:30	E 81°	-1.9
3/21 05:55	W 269°	06:01	S 178°	76°	06:06	E 95°	-2.3
3/22 01:55	S 193°	01:59	SE 139°	11°	02:04	E 85°	1.2
3/22 03:30	SW 234°	03:35	SSE 156°	39°	03:41	E 80°	-1.3
3/22 05:06	W 263°	05:12	S 176°	76°	05:17	E 90°	-2.3
3/23 02:41	SW 225°	02:46	SSE 152°	29°	02:52	E 79°	0.0
3/23 04:18	W 257°	04:23	S 174°	70°	04:28	E 86°	-2.2
3/23 05:54	W 276°	06:00	S 189°	65°	06:05	ESE 107°	-2.2

 

Marginal

Good

Excellent

If the cloud buggers off there a few decent passes of the Space Shed over the next few days