the little gulls at brooklands back in march

started at the res early just after the rain cleared. just another flyover lrp and a common sand on the dam. a seawatch at splash point produced 3 species of skua and a few flocks of little gulls. it was quiet down the cuckmere, just 9 dunlin on the beach and offshore the scoter passage had stepped up a gear but this had fizzled out by the time i'd got back to splash. convincing myself that spring dotterel in sussex do still exist i had a hike over the downs behind seaford. many of last years fields are now rape but the best ones are still looking good. plenty of corn bunting song and millions of skylarks - who said they were in decline. was losing enthusiasm on the dotterel but as i scanned across a field a superb female zipped through my field of view, close by. shit! unfortunately it went over a brow so i was unable to see exactly if/where it landed and couldn't relocate. next time a trip...

2 greenshanks and a ringed plover north at the cuckmere and whimbrel singing along the river. dropped into splash point briefly to find no one there, but good timing - 2 pomarine skuas went past fairly close in as i got out the car.

a second visit to the res in the afternoon produced 4 barwits, 1 whimbrel and 1 lrp (all flyovers) and stacks of hirundines - swarms of swallows along the dam is one of my favourite sights of spring.