Another cracking days birding on the coast. Started at one of coastal ringing sites and although the nets were quiet the birding around the site was great. Started off with a fly-over calling lapland bunting which dropped onto the marsh. There were loads of singing skylarks and displaying lapwing, 3 marsh harrier, peregrine, ringtail hen harrier, 42 pink feet and 6 sand martins west. After about an hour a large flock of small birds got up started to fly around. Once they landed I managed to get onto a coupe of the birds which also turned out to be lap bunts. We decided to get a better angle on the area where the birds were feeding and eventually had at least 50 birds feeding and flying around together! Many males were coming into summer plumage and looking very smart - certainly the most I have ever seen together.
Also had the first butterfly (peacock) of the year, several bumblebees and a toad.

With the sand martins on the move I decided to try the reserve for the afternoon. Got off to a good start with firecrest (118) feeding along the edge of the carpark giving views down to a few metres. Also on the reserve was a singing chiffchaff (119) on the Meadow Trail and 7 sand martins (120) west. 2 male stonechat in the scrub from Fen Hide and a bittern over the reeds on the walk back.