Report from Roger Lane. (30th March 2010)

"A brief afternoon hour out, despite the gale-force winds ! Up to Pontsmill first, hoping for some shelter, and indeed a small flock of Swallows had beaten me to it. Otherwise it was nearly a full house of local birds: 2+, Bluetits; 10+, Coaltits; 10+, Greatits; 2 x L.T.Tits; 2 x Marsh Tits, mostly at the feeders. Also a Nuthatch and a Dipper near the river, will they breed there? Overhead were a flock of hirundines: c.15 x Swallows and c.5 x Sd.Martins feeding in the lee of the valley side on insects around the tree branches.
Down to a rather exposed, and almost flooded (rain plus high tides) PBPool, looking a bit barren, but with up to 15 hirundines feeding very low over the wavelets, some c.10 x Swallows and c.5 x Sd.Martins
Also 2 x L. Egrets, for a while. Also the carcass of 'yesterday's' Swan had been removed, but by human or wild agencies?. A brief stay at the western beach car-park looking over a Very rough sea, yielded only two species: 1 x GCGrebe on the water and 1 x Sand.Tern above the water. Touch of sameness these days !"

Thanks for the report Roger.
Soon things must improve...how far are we behind this year?
The same thing is happening as last year when all the Caterpillars were washed away.
We need a week of prolonged sunshine and settled weather. I toyed with the idea of a visit this morning but the bad weather made my mind up.