April 8th - a Day in the Brecks

What a beautiful day. 16C, blue sky with enough fluffy clouds to make it interesting. Not an early start, we were after the morning Norwich traffic rather than before. Would we have better luck at Weeting this year? Not a lot... but at least a sitting Stone Curlew's head was visible beside a clump of emergant green nettles, just left of the elm tree at 12 o'clock from West Hide. Not visible when sitting down in the hide either, a scope was essential.
Hockwold Washes was an improvement. Good scope views of out first drake Garganey of the year, a Sedge Warbler song bursting forth from the nearby reeds.
May Day farm was butterfly-active, mainly speeding Brimstone, one Peacock, several Commas and a single Large White.

The Blackthorn blossom the biggest attraction.
We didn't have to wait long before a Woodlark rose from from the newly planted area to the right of the crossroads, feeding on the grassy area to the left before flying back to perch and sing.
Driving to St Helen's to eat a late lunch, a group of four birders roadside, intent on something, brought us to a halt. A female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was feeding avidly on a high branch no more than 30 feet away. We watched her through the scope for 30 minutes and, eventually, left her to it. Our most extensive views ever. Walking away from a Lesser Spot.......!
I attempted a photo through the scope, hand held without an adaptor. I'm not proud of it. More practice needed.

A 'just in case' drop-in to Wroxham Broad on the way home, where I was photographing an Egyptian Goose family when a single Common Tern showed briefly before disappearing out of sight. A most enjoyable day.

Look very carefully for the Tern!