The Stour Valley list for 2018 stands at 146(+1) species so far.
April 29th
The weekend was a bit of a washout with much drizzle on Saturday and lots of rain on Sunday however, a Turtle Dove is still in the Paddock purring away nicely and the/a Great-white Egret present at the Ramp early Saturday but no sign of Chiddy's Osprey from Friday evening. Plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers in fine voice when not raining and along with a female Wheatear along Harrison's Drove there was also a male Stonechat, scarce at this time of year. A slightly bedraggled but still smart male Redstart was near the Cattle crush at the north end of Middle Drove while 2 Hares were in fields behind Harrison's. Terns have not returned to full strength yet with just 2 Common Terns seen on both days. A drake Wigeon was at the Ramp pool but little else and 2 Hobbies were hawking low over Collard's lake with the Swallows and Martins. New for the year was a Common Sandpiper that spent some time on the Tern Rafts at Stodmarsh on Sunday morning.