That’s how many black-tailed godwits were crammed onto the reservoir at Freiston shore early yesterday morning (give or take a few hundred). Quite a spectacle, as they all chatted away and preened. Never seen so many in one small area. Hidden away amongst them was a curlew sandpiper and 7 spotted redshanks. There was just room for a few hundred wigeon.

Two whinchats and a wheatear were along the wetland trail fence lines. In the bushes were around 20 chiffchaffs and10 goldcrests. Two peregrines went over the saltmarsh. Five Egyptian geese were hanging out with the ever present pink-footed goose. Hirundines moved steadily through south all day long, hundreds of ’em, swallows and house martins.