Hi-
here we go again-
16 03 12 King's Lynn Garganey
S
Had sand martins over the Lodge on Tuesday (3 April) and first swallow of the year at Fowlmere last Thursday (29 March). Still waiting for house martins of the hirundines...Willow warbler singing at Marston Moretaine county park on Sunday (1 April)
Don't forget to report them via Birdtrack, Natures Calendar and Spring Alive
Hi- we've had howling NW winds lately, :(
Garganey on one of our local reserves in N.Yorks today,a bit later than the one Seymour reported a little while ago.
In southern Spain where I am at the minute migrants are flooding in. 10 minutes of vismiggibg produced fresh bee eaters, short toed eagles and a booted eagle. Swifts have been passing through in large numbers, flanked by pallid and alpine swifts. Swallows and martins are certainly moving through with regularity and chiffchaffs are numerous. I've noticed a lot of northward movement and even watched some
Migrants come in of the sea- collared pratincole yesterday and a flock of swallows today. Blackcaps are passing through in numbers, with day to day variations in the area around me that is my temporary local patch. A stork was high over 2 days ago too. Many booted eagles have passed over. I was up in the sierras a few days back and on one ridge I had 20 black kites in a flock, high, heading N and nearby 3 honey buzzards going the same way. On the same trip a cuckoo was present, plus 20 lesser kestrels moving through. The Mediterranean summer birds are in in force too. Hopefully a lot of birds should arrive one the weather in the Uk clears up- there is vast numbers waiting to come in! In Uk terms my dates of firsts:
18/3:Chiffchaff
24/3 (chiffchaff on local patch)
25/3: Wheatear
25/3: Little Ringed Plover
25/3: Blackcap
That is rubbing it in a bit Michael !!sounds great hoping we get a report on your return.
1 pair grey wagtails arrived today in Kingston-on-Thames. They nest in disused drain pipes which exit over the river Hogsmill - a tributary of the Thames. Always plenty of flies over the river. Guaranteed excellent views right in the town!
Still waiting for sand martins - colony on Raven's Ait, an island between Kingston and Thames Ditton.
No swallows yet either - nest site under Turk's pleasure boat pier
:-)
Andy
Have today seen my first swallow of the year! I was at the Country Market near Bordon, Hampshire and it was flying around the farm buildings and when I left it was sitting on the wires - only the one though as far as I could see.
Normally by now a Cuckoo has arrived at the Lodge, but not so much as a 'koo'!
11 04 12 Willow warbler Wisbech
Massive movements of white storks here today. Osprey fresh in.
I was watching at gibralatar the other day and watched sparrowhawks, kestrels, bee eaters, booted eagles, black kites and marsh harriers back in as well as swallows and swifts. Amazing how they make the crossing and know the shortest routes ( most birds were actually coming in at tarifa, - few miles away!)