Nearly there!

 I have spent the last few weeks working on my final college projects and am almost there, just one more to go and have that in hand, I hope! I am also hoping that this time next I will be watching a spoon-billed sandpiper or two in Rudong, China. There have been a few seen there already this spring, fingers crossed they remain for another while.

 I finished off the the harrier and pipit plates for one of the final projects a while back but havn't found the time to put them up or lay them out in  a spread yet. With most of the pressure off now, I hope to get some time to work on layouts next week before I head off.  Above is Montagus harrier.

 Pallid Harrier

 Northern Harrier

 Hen Harrier

Tree and Olive-backed Pipits

Sinensis Cormorants again

I was passing Swords yesterday so decided to pop in for a while as it has been so long since I have been out in the field. Driving along the river on the north side I picked up the 1st winter sinensis feeding close to the bridge. It was difficult to follow through the trees along the road, but eventually it sat out under the flyover. 1 ruff and an adult little gull showing the start of a hood showed nicely infront of the dog kennels.

While out on a break this morning I finally pinned down an adult sinensis that had been present all winter on the canal near my house. Most times I saw it I was on the bike and it would dive, re-surfacing 30-40 metres away so I could never confirm it. Other times I saw it from the car as it sat on street lights but views were never clear enough.

Was delighted to finally be able to confirm it before it departed. It has been niggling me all winter because it has been so close to the house. The  ring-billed gull seems to have left, I last saw it on waste ground a week ago. Still no signs of spring, not a single migrant yet.