April 14th

I was seawatching from my house early this morning when three goosanders flew past: a male and two females. There has been a steady but small passage of red-breasted mergansers for the last couple of weeks but goosanders are usually only regular Crail birds in late summer when they arrive to moult after breeding. A very early addition to the Crail year list and continuing this year’s excellent trajectory towards – I hope – 160.

Goosander – no. 115 for the Crail year list today; usually I have to wait until late June for one