A very quiet day at the FLASHES. I arrived at 8am, but someone was already on route to the main hide, so I went to the Hen pool & 1st Flash(cuckoo) hides. At the hen pool the small 'black' chick showed well and a couple of reed warblers sang. From here to the cuckoo hide were many chiffchaffs feeding in the 'confluence' scrub and along the boundary scrub line. I then spent an hour or so in the cuckoo hide. I know the hide is a bit rickety and the windows open outward, but it is worth a spending a bit of time here. There is a good range of habitat, including scrub, reeds and you can see across to the willows on the north side of the Hen pool. Not forgetting the different view you get over of the 'central' Flashes. Today I wasn't disappointed. Early morning and evenings are best when there are masses of insects above the grass and wet area, and plenty of perches for flycatching. Species seen were lesser whitethroat (2), reed warbler c10 (2 singing), blackcap (3), chiffchaff several, willow warbler (singing) reed bunting family parties. Also common birds such as green, gold and bull finch + linnets, tits, gree and great spotted woodp and kingfisher. Also plenty of duck and waders on the Flashes.
SPECIES COUNT FLASHES:
Shelduck 2 juvs, mallard 110,
Avocet 10 + 7 chicks, LRP ad + chick 22 day old, lapwing 100+, curlew 17,
green sand 7, common tern juv,
Peregrine 2, buzzard 5, raven 2, stock dove 20,
water rail chick, coot c 18, house martin c35, plus the above at cuckoo hide.