One of the big differences I noticed when I moved up to Norfolk from Kent was that Oystercatchers were much commoner inland in Norfolk than they were in Kent. I used to see one or two annually at the local reservoir but they were decidedly scarce. Here they are everywhere - at least in summer.
They mostly disappear in the winter but I normally see my first returnees in the second hald of February and this last week has seen several arrive back on their breeding grounds. I heard one at work briefly last week but started hearing Oystercatchers displaying outside the office towards the end of this week. They breed on the flat roofs, which seems to be a relatively new phenonemon for this species, and in the gravel round the edges of the car parks. Their constant noisy presence throughout the spring and early summer ensures that even the most uninterested staff can't help but notice them.
I also saw the first birds on the patch this week and last night I heard one flying over the house too.
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