With a number of Quail being heard over the past few weeks, I thought I would give it a go last night at Chislet Marshes, so on arrival at 8pm, I walked around the area for an hour listening in warm sunny conditions. birds noted included 11 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Common Tern, 1 Marsh Harrier, 4 Barn Owl, 2 Kestrel, 2 Raven, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 6 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Linnet and 7 Reed Bunting. I put the recorder out on the marsh in the hope I would get something going over. 

I was up early this morning at 4am where I spent an hour or so walking again around the fields listening out for any Quail. I didn't hear any but unbeknown to me, when I went through the recording from last night, around 2am, a Quail (112) was heard calling a few times. This is the second record I have sound recorded in 10 years but I have still not heard one on the patch live. It's nice to know they are passing through. I just need a bird to hang around and call for a while one early morning. Other birds this morning included 5 Mute Swan, 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Cuckoo, 3 Swift, 1 Moorhen, 2 Common Tern, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Barn Owl, 1 Little Owl, 2 Kestrel, 4 Raven, 3 Skylark, 6 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, 2 Swallow, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Yellowhammer and 3 Reed Bunting. It was pleasing to see 3 Norfolk Hawker and 3 Emperor Dragonfly flying around at 04:30 and a little later, I saw my first 7 Willow Emerald Damselfly of the year along with 12 Emerald Damselfly. I shall hopefully record again tonight and have another early morning walk in the hope of hearing a Quail. 

Sunrise over Chislet Marshes

Quail 

I had a walk around the area in warming conditions which produced 1 Mute Swan, 1 Egyptian Goose, 10 Mallard, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Pheasant, 2 Swift, 3 Moorhen, 10 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 3 Cormorant, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 2 Skylark, 1 Sedge Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler, 4 Swallow and 3 Chiffchaff. There were 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Long tailed Tit, 4 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest was heard singing, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbird, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Linnet, 8 Goldfinch, 3 Yellowhammer and 2 Reed Bunting. It was nice to add a new dragonfly to the patch list with 5 Red veined Darter being seen and 1 Scarce Chaser (2nd record in 10 years) was also noted.  

Firecrest

Red veined Darter - male

Highlights from an early walk Saturday morning included 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Cuckoo, 3 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 18 Cormorant, 1 Bittern booming early morning from the Stour Valley, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 4 Skylark, 5 Sedge Warbler, 18 Reed Warbler, 1 Swallow, 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Long tailed Tit, 6 Blackcap, 13 Whitethroat, 4 Song Thrush, 4 Goldfinch, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Yellowhammer, 4 Red Kite and 2 Hobby. A look this morning for only an hour produced 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Common Tern, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Red Kite flying North, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Swallow, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long tailed Tit, 3 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Bullfinch, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Yellowhammer. 

Red Kite