Finally there is a spring feel to the weather as a high pressure system has brought a period of settled weather to the country. With the spring feel, the birds have reacted likewise with move of the summer visitors starting to dominate the sightings. The highlight of the week was the brief appearance of a Hoopoe before it disappeared in to a private area. This Mediterranean speciality is an overshot from the continent. The continental feel continued through the week with a pair of imm Spoonbills regularly seen at the north wall. With a least one further bird present in the harbour.
There was a steady stream of Swallows, Sand Martins and Wheatears through the week arriving from over the channel and started to replenish their energy on the reserve. A familiar sound to all our visitors returned to the reserve at the end of the week with the return of Cuckoo’s, and as the sun shone down at least 4 birds could be heard around the reserve.
Other migrants continued to arrive with a scattering of Redstart, Whitethroats and the odd Lesser Whitethroat reported from the various areas of scrub. For some lucky visitors a Nightingale briefly filled the air with is melodic song, a scarce sound on the reserve. As the sun warmed the air the number of Buzzards around the area increased, they were briefly joined on Sunday by a passing Osprey and some Red Kite.
The Warden, RSPB Crook of Baldoon