Michael Bentine's Pottytime!

A walk around Carlton Marshes over the past few evenings in the gloriously sunny weather, led to a moment just out of the above TV series. Whilst looking over Whitecast Marshes on Monday 21st June, amongst the reeds Jenny &  I could see movements in the reeds barely 2 feet away we could not see the bird making these movements. I could almost hear Mr Bentyne's voice chuckling away! The birds were almost definitely Sedge Warblers as 2 or 3 were seen here as was a Fox that dashed seemingly to the edge of the pond but disappeared from view.

Several Reed warblers were seen and several calling Reed Buntings too. Hearing a Cuckoo calling almost constantly we walked over to the North wall and 2 Cuckoo's flew west, one bird was still calling and it also flew west, so 3 Cuckoo's seen in all. 

On Tuesday 22nd June, we walked straight over tp the North Marsh, a Cuckoo flew west and later flew east. Several Sedge warblers were seen and 2 Barn Owls flying over distant fields, 1 flew over towards us and then settled in a bush. It proved to be a young bird, recently fledged as it still showed white down on its plumage. A Magpie settled on the bush and the Barn Owl looked rather quizzically at it.