Filby & Carlton marshes

On Monday 6th May, fully restored back to rude health after over 3 weeks of feeling distinctly unwell following a debilitating stomach bug and wanting to catch up on lost time/ birds, I particularly targeted those species I have yet to see this year including Cuckoo, Garden W, Lesser W, Reed W, Swift, & Hobby. A quick look after work at Filby Broad resulted in an unexpected sighting, I saw Ken S who said the Grebes were still there. From the boardwalk, I saw them bang in the middle of the broad, 2 resplendent summer plumaged Black- necked Grebes right in the middle of the broad, they constantly dived (the left hand one) when one dived the other quickly responded. Albeit the Grebes were seen seen against the light, so the finer points of their plumage could not be fully savoured, although fortunately they were not swimming around in the extensive sun patch on the water which would have made the viewing impossible. Arriving at Carlton Marshes just after 7pm, walking over to Spratt's Water Marsh, I saw the omni- present Kyle M at this location, he pointed out a Barn Owl hunting over a distant western marsh, I saw an excellent Cuckoo, one of my target birds, flying low and right over the bushes. I also saw singing male Reed Bunting and taking the marsh walk heard both Reed (another target bird but alas not seen) and Willow Warbler. 2 Jay screeched from a nearby wood, 8 Swallows flew over here. By the far side, Cetti's warbler and a Sedge warbler and a female Linnet seen to fly into a tree. I met a new chap keen on birds and photography and was explaining how to tell birds by their song/ call, he seemed amazed by this, but I have got over 40 years worth of experience and learnt the songs by following up any calls I didn't recognise, doing my "birding apprenticeship" as the late Brian B would have called it. Walking back by the reeds bordering the long dyke, a Sedge Warbler seen singing from behind some reeds.