4th Feb - Ground frost last night. Mostly sunny, light SE/S, 7C

First thing I had a look at the local lake, very quite, apart from a Song Thrush singing full throttle. Three other Song Thrushes were around the lake, and several Blackbirds.  On the lake there was only 2 Tufted Duck and a few Coot, 2 Moorhen from fron the top of the boundary hedge on to the lake.

After lunch I went to Shawell lagoons, on the shore was about 400 Lapwing and a about 150 Gulls, but none of the scarcer ones.  One the mid bank was a drake Shelduck, this will have returned from its wintering location and hoping for a mate, they do like the local habitat here and at the sandpit nearby.  So, you could say this is the first Spring migrant to show up this year.

I decided to move to the landfill area, I had just got in to the car and was moving slowly along the lane when a Merlin flew over the hedge from the lagoons directly along the lane towards me, then passed the car and over the field.

I then moved to the landfill to see what gulls were present, there was several thousand around so search through them was a challenge.  As I was looking at one group a juvenile Glaucous Gull walked in to view, I watched this for a while then it flew off to the landfill.  After awhile it returned, I was able to tell Carl, who came to view it and take some photos.  I managed some very distant record shots with my bridge camera.

 Juv Glaucous Gull, right bird in pool

Juv Glaucous Gull, centre top of bank

A couple of Buzzards kept flying over and scattering the Gulls, but most just flew around and came back.

I then noticed the far side, a brownish large long winged - long tailed bird with a dull white rump area, it headed off behind the landfill, it looked really good for a Hen Harrier.