Two ticks and two grips

Back home promptly from the Winchester College Football "Cup Final" (yours truly as referee) - a narrow 39-34 win for Commoners - and just time to whizz up to the reserve on my bike for the last half hour of daylight. Two predictable but very welcome Blashford year ticks soon fell - Oystercatcher (three back on their breeding islands), and the first Black-necked Grebe of the spring, plus a Med Gull. The Red-breasted Merganser was also present, in among about 40 Goosander, many of which are now displaying, as are the now quite numerous passage Goldeneye, and the resident Great Crested Grebes. Sand Martins are just a couple of weeks away. Frustratingly, I heard what I thought was a (non-Meadow) Pipit but couldn't find it - and the evening blog post recorded a Water Pipit from the other hide in the evning, plus a Ruff as well, seen by none other than the illustrious Rob Hume. Grrrr.