An excellent morning for raptors over or close to the realignment area. A Sparrowhawk, 7 Kestrels and 2 Peregrines were noteworthy, but large raptors were exceptional. Six Marsh Harriers, (one with green wing-tags), were seen and 3 of these departed to the south. Common Buzzards could be seen almost all of the time and of at least 10 in the area, 6 eventually headed inland towards the Wolds. At 1240 a fine Honey Buzzard was hunting back and forth in the Pye's Hall area and I was able to watch it for almost ten minutes, and then at 1255 an early Rough-legged Buzzard came in over the dunes (off the sea?) and circled ever higher and continued inland. 100 Swallows and 4 Common Swifts also flew south. Wader numbers on the realignment area were quite low with 4 Greenshanks and a Spotted Redshank being the most notable. A good count of 57 Little Egrets was the second highest ever made for the area. Also of interest were 9 Lesser Redpolls, and singles of Common Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Reed Warbler.
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