Osprey at Dawn !

18 Apr - Having missed the Osprey the previous day, I woke up early and figured the bird would still be present after a cloudy wet evening. Indeed ......5 mins after my arrival at the Broadwater at 6.20, the bird flew low over the valley and hovered briefly, before nmoving off west. Poor light but I got a couple of record shots. I waited til late morning but surprisingly, the bird did not reappear to catch a fish and it wasn't seen again..... so the early start was well worth it. A good spot for raptors with Red Kite, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and a distant Peregrine all being seen, as well as a Raven. An evening leg-stretch at Shorncote added Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler for the year, but no sign of the Otter with 3 cubs that had been sighted in the morning. Fantastic evening light on the reedbeds as the sun dropped into the western sky. A Nightingale heard singing nearby at dusk.