Summer migrants were few in number and hardly singing in the cold conditions at the south end, hence only 4 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Swallows, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Sedge Warblers, one Willow Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroats and 2 Whimbrel. A Short-eared Owl and 4 Common Buzzards were also seen. Four Cuckoos were on the outmarsh and dune-edges and despite the bitter wind and a squall of sleet, it was pleasing to see that they were managing to secure a few hairy caterpillars out of the long grass on the marsh. Eventually they resorted back into the dunes where I managed to capture some record shots of all 4 Cuckoos together in a still-living ash tree, depicting a sense of finality and a double spotlight on current conservation concerns. Some pleasurable key moments, but one wonders for how much longer?
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