A lovely calm evening with a glowing sunset. Started with what looked like an early Spotted flycatcher on the track to the Oriole Hide, the avenue of blackthorn was lifting with Blackcaps and Willow/Chiffs throwing themselves into the air after a sky-soup of midges. The field closest to Trehill was full of Wheatear, 32 counted, and first White wagtails (5) and a few Pieds. The pair of Shelduck were on the mere and the Swan still sitting tight on her nest, the cob was busy seeing off a group of Canadas. More Wheatear on the circuit added another 37, majority in one of West Hooks fields. Martin's Haven was dripping with Blackcaps with more Chiffchaffs in the withies and feeding on the alexanders.
As I approached Trehill farm I picked up the alarm call of a Dotterel getting nearer, spinning around I spotted it gaining height, so presumably it had been flushed from one of Trehills fields, it arced over the road and looked as if it was coming down towards East Hook farm directly opposite Trehill farm. I scanned the nearest fields as best as I could, which didn't reveal anything but there are fields beyond these nearer to the coast path. Whilst grilling the fields I spotted a badger out grubbing around which may well have been the culprit that flushed the dotterel, it was so determined rooting out worms and grubs and with no wind it was oblivious to me. Lovely end to a lovely evening.