On Monday evening, just as it was getting dark, I heard distinctive high-pitched plaintive calls of an osprey not far from Slebech. I had to help out with some bat-survey work in a building so it wasn't possible to confirm where exactly the bird was calling from.
Last evening (Thursday) Annie was out on a boat on the river with Jane Hodges and others helping with a shelduck survey. They were pleased to get excellent views of the osprey, presumed to be heading to a tree roost in woodland along the Eastern Cleddau. It's still perhaps a bit early for disbursing adults and juvs. so maybe this one (possibly a non-breeder) has summered in the area, as has happened before.
Some other observations suggested that there were good numbers of common sandpipers in the estuary but that curlew numbers were lower than usual. Jane has indicated that shelducks are probably having their best breeding season since 2006 which is good news.
