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Final two videos from Alaska trip now on YouTube. Part 4 covers a few days in Nome and is at youtu.be/CXzHrIByZHE. Part 5 covers Barrow / Utqiagvik and is at youtu.be/kRQa_xx1AGU. Breeding arctic waders and wildfowl looking their very best.

68 species in 4 hours around marburypatch this morning is not a bad haul for mid winter, and still missed a few relatively regular species. Highlights were Hawfinch, GW Egret, Peregrine, 89 Curlew, 24 Goosanders, 4 Goldeneye, 7 Pochard, Chiffchaff and a spectacular sunrise.

As is often the case, the Bittern in the reedbed at Budworth Mere marburypatch often shows better during colder weather and into the new year. This morning it was very active and in this video can even be heard booming once. Cheshire & Wirral Ornithological Society

This time of year can be tough going working a local patch, so very pleased to find a pair of Euro White-fronted Geese in the goose roost at Ashton's Flash y'day. First on patch since 2021. Taken pre dawn and in drizzle so apologies for quality. marburypatch Cheshire & Wirral Ornithological Society

Jack Snipe marburypatch. One of my favourite species - enigmatic, cryptic and always needs a bit of fieldcraft, even with the help of a thermal imager.

Up to 4 Hawfinches have been wintering at Marbury CP marburypatch since early Nov. They can be elusive and often only 1 shows at a time but today all 4 were on view, although the light was challenging as they perched in the highest possible branches. Cheshire & Wirral Ornithological Society

Male Goldeneye at Budworth Mere, Cheshire. Cheshire & Wirral Ornithological Society marburypatch

It's been a tough spring at marburypatch but I had an idea the overnight shift in the wind to NE might attract a Little Gull. My hunch was right and the first arrived at 08:50, followed by at least 7 more. Video is of some of the adults, non yet in full breeding plumage.

Yesterday's flock of Little Gulls at Budworth Mere marburypatch contained 7 adults and 2 immatures (1 x 2cy and 1 x 3cy) and at one stage all 9 were preening and bathing off the slipway at Marbury CP. At least 1 still there this morning.

I'm not much of a twitcher nowadays but the report of a Stone-curlew (Eurasian Thick-knee more officially) not far away at Kelsall was a full-blown Cheshire tick, so too good to miss. A heat haze made for difficult viewing conditions but a great bird. Congrats to the finder.

I'm always intrigued as to how Reed and Garden Warblers in particular continue to arrive and establish territories from mid April then well into May. I assume from different wintering populations? This GW was new in at Marbury CP marburypatch this morning.

Despite marburypatch's proximity to Woolston Eyes, Black-necked Grebes are scarce visitors, so good to find 3 in breeding plumage on Budworth Mere this am. Also Pinkfoot, 3 Egyptian Geese and Ringed Plover on the flashes amongst 72 species for the morning.

Lots of Black-tailed Skimmers around this morning at the rapidly drying margins of Neumann's Flash marburypatch. An obvious attraction to a welcome Hobby, my first of the year on patch.

After a few failed attempts in recent years, Avocets have finally hatched young for the first time ever marburypatch. 4 were first seen on Sat and still there this morning with recent rain thankfully providing a larger puddle to paddle in (for now ...).

Last year a female Mandarin appeared at Witton Mill Bridge marburypatch with 2 well grown youngsters. They were mobile so not clear they had nested within the patch boundaries but this year a female has appeared with 6 much younger ducklings. Seems they are patch breeders.

Spotted Flycatchers used to be a spring and summer attraction in the woodlands marburypatch but seemed to have gone as a breeding species. A great find y'day though by Lizzie Hynes showed all is not lost. Proved to be not just 1 but a pair feeding 2 fledged juvs.

Some still images of the Spotted Flycatchers marburypatch, including one of the juveniles.