Has Spring sprung at last?

This morning was a very pleasant surprise...weatherwise. The sun was out, it actually felt warm and there was no wind....a real contrast to the past few weeks, months even!
Made my way to the North Wall and it was perfection! However birds were lacking somewhat. They were there but they were reluctant to show...I heard my first two Sedge Warblers and a Willow Warbler. A Blackcap was in Owl Copse and the Grey Herons and Egrets were busy on their nests.

Grey Heron flying to Owl Copse

Little Egret 

The water in  Breech Pool was very high with only a Cormorant and a pair of lurking Gadwall on the far side.

A Cormorant doing what Cormorants do...drying its wings.

Gadwall pair.

A flock of about 120 Black Tailed Godwits were in Whites creek



 and a Great Tit posed in a hawthorn.

Back to Pagham Spit to find any new arrivals and two Swallows came in off the sea and headed north whilst a pair of Wheatear had obviously just arrived and were busy feeding around the Little Lagoon. They were very unapproachable and it wasn't easy to even get a record shot.

Nervous Wheatear!

A Chiffchaff was a little more accomodating.

Today's highlight for me was a brief visit of a Black Redstart in mid afternoon in the garden....

Taken through dirty double glazed window....great bird though.


...and during last week I was pleased to find a Firecrest...

...another 'special' bird.

On Sunday we had a dozen Hirundines drop in and remained on the telegraph wires for 20 minutes or so.....a mix of House martins and Swallows.

I think it's fair to say Spring has arrived although a little late this year!