Iceland Gull & 'Stonies' at Minsmere

On Saturday 9th April, 2 Redwing called just beyond the garden perimeter, they were still about On Sunday 10th April too. also on Sunday 10th April, I visited Ness Point in the Turbine yard, the female Black redstart seen by the concrete wall distantly and a smart male Wheatear bathed himself in a puddle. Later that afternoon, by bird feeders by the Minsmere car park I thought I was on course for my usual Minsmere bad luck having missed a fine male Brambling by seconds, an hour and a half I stayed here as the light was so good and birds included up to 15 Chaffinches (males outnumbered female 12 to 3!), Blue Tit, Great Tits, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Pheasant, Magpie, 2 LT Tits and a fine male Reed Bunting. By the old car Park really nice to see the cliff busy with at least 40 Sand Martins. At North hide, I spotted the excellent Iceland Gull sat asleep on a long narrow muddy spit running west from East scrape. Typically no Garganey on show. It was apparent there were many Black- Tailed Godwit here at least 80+. Checking the North wall field in the hope of seeing Stone Curlew, I couldn't see any but there were 2 Curlews feeding on the ploughed strip. From East Scrape the Iceland Gull seen it woke up was harried by a LBB Gull and eventually flew east right over the northern section of the hide. A group of 15 Dunlin seen and a close Black- tailed Godwit too and 2 Teal. Walking back having missed the Stone Curlew on the walk up, I was in luck this time as I spotted them, 2 Stone Curlews along the far side of the North wall field right back almost by the woods, initially the east end of the narrow ploughed strip and first one and then the other ran on brief spurts to the centre of the strip by some pipes sticking up. These were my first sightings of Stone Curlews on the reserve proper as I had seen them around the perimeter before.