...the last day of the run (15/04/12)

A breezy and cold day didn't look promising but I managed at least 8 Redstarts, a couple of Marsh Tits, my first Cuckoo of the year, 15 Crossbills and finally a Woodlark at Beaulieu Road Station.  Also a Grey Wagtail was seen.

Next onto Keyhaven/Pennington Marshes which was hard work but managed a couple of Greenshank, a couple of Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, a close in fishing Little Tern and my first Whitethroat of the year.  Also had two fly over Ravens but couldn't find the Mediterranean Gulls I heard calling in the distance.  There were a couple of Little Ringed Plovers on Pennington flood.

An unexpected bird was a singing Dartford Warbler in the brambles away from their usual haunt of the gorse bushes along the sea wall.

I then dropped into Hordle for further views of the Rose-coloured Starling which proved just as elusive as last time. There was an old geezer here who was a serious grump - complaining about the swarm of birders (I counted 6 of us), how they were pathetic and needed to get a life (his wife (?) looked totally bewildered with him).  I witnessed no running around or birders making a nuisance of themselves so unless someone has p****d him off previously I don't know what his problem was.

My final destination was Blashford Lakes where there were 2 more Arctic Terns, a couple of close in Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper from the first hide.  I walked over to the Lapwing hide and was rewarded with two singing Reed Warblers, one eventually found singing fairly low down in a reed bed.