Favourite first 'migrant' birds to see in spring

Hi Robyn

Great to see you here once more {big smile}

Love that you have the Ospreys so close by.  Are they easy to see from where you live, and an easy commute to find them?.

Another lucky person to have a Reed Bunting on their Bird Feeders - oh I am so jealous.

I hope that your 'resident'  Blue Tits show an interest in the Nest Box once more this year.  It was a sad story to hear that the Blue Tits had decided to desert the nest last year.  I do not know how I would resort to doing if i was to find any disturbance to the Nest box residents - get upset!!

One year, I remember setting up a Blue Tit Nest box on a trunk of a tree.  One morning I looked out of the window to find a cat sitting directly on top of the box and side swiping the Blue Tits parents  {feeding their young} as they went in and out of the Nest box hole.  So I tied a piece of curly barbed wire on top of the box lid and the cat never sat on that box roof ever again.Best solution {I do like cats as much as birds it is dividing them I have the problem with}

Ringed Ouzel would be a dream bird to see. Another lucky find for you. People have seen them on the off-chance if they are at the right place at the right time.  We never know what we are going to see next that is the excitement of bird watching {big smile}

We are going to Castlemill Sluice this afternoon (after Dave comes back from Old Warden Aircraft Hangers) and this area has a lot of Sand Martins - cannot wait now.  hope that they are there.  Swifts tell Spring as it is and should be and we will wish them a safe passage back to the UK.

Nordic Jackdaw, and Northern Wheatear.  i have never heard of until you mentioned them here.  It is the 'Nordic' and 'Northern' bit of the species that I am unfamlar with.

Saw lots of Golden Plovers at Titchwell Reserve last year so they are worth a see any day.  They are just the best when they flock and swoop around together, and circle in the air - what a sight to behold

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Robyn R said:

We missed out on seeing an Osprey yesterday afternoon so it is good to see them back in the country,safe and sound.

Our male Reed Bunting is still a regular visitor to our garden although he is on his own now so hopefully his partner is sitting tightly on eggs...

Our Blue tits have been showing only a partial interest in the nest box this year and we wonder if they will nest with us this year,seeing that they deserted the nest of chicks last year for some unknown reason and we didn't know until Mr Robyn cleaned out the nest box a few weeks ago.We just thought they had all flown the nest and we had missed them as they always used to go in the early morning other years.

Kathy we have only ever seen a Ring Ouzel once while we were staying up in the North Pennines although we have never seen once since.

We have Sand Martins in our county at the moment and I am looking forward to hearing the Swifts screeming over head in the summer months and only once have we ever seen them mating on the wing which was so brief we nearly missed it lol.

The Shorties are still about plus Golden Plovers in the same area and a Nordic Jackdaw is in the county plus a Northern Wheatear and a Blackcap was seen in someones garden last week...

hi Seymour

Great news about the Ringed Ouzel - must investigate the Norfolk patch sometime and look out for any arrivals in the meantime.

Strange how the birds pick the most humanised areas to appear.  Must be an attraction of some sort going on. 

Thank you for your information

seymouraves said:

 

Hi,

 

Ring Ouzels start to come through west Norfolk normally about now- late March- I look for them along the wash coast from Snettisham through Heacham up to Hunstanton. The east coast of Norfolk north from  Great Yarmouth to Cromer is also good- lots of quiet grassy areas in closed holiday camps :)

S

Hi Kathy,

so many to pick from!  

As a child I have fond memories of spring and summer days watching and waiting for the migrants to return.

The Cuckoo is certainly up there as one of my favourites.

Just love to hear the call, don't know why but it always stops me in my tracks!

I have sat for hours on many a day just listening to a chorus of bird song and calls, then in the distance a Cuckoo calling gradually getting closer and closer always makes my day.

I was very forunate last year as I sighted six at various locations, as the Cuckoo is now on the Red List of endangered birds I felt even more privileged.

Personally I think It would be an absolute tragedy if this bird disappears from our shores!

Regards Buzzard

Hi there

I will try to answer everyone so no-one is left out on this thread asap.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Hi Buzzard

Cuckoos, now that is talking big time - such a rare bird now in the UK.  Is it the birds they use for raising their chicks that have declined.  Hence the Cuckoos have been affected, or is it something else all together.

Heard them continually in Menorca. Spain last year - first two weeks in May non stop! {big smile}, I could hear them on the other side of the bay where the 'Sailing club ' boats where moored.  First thing in the morning was the best time to hear them.  Thre misty feeling and the water along with the calls of the Black winged Stilts - so haunting indeed.

I have heard them at Marston Vale, Bedford... last year so our Cuckoo friends are around.  Their call has been noted in Priory Park, Bedford too though I have not heard them in this area.

They are around so it is seeing the bird over hearing it that is the issue - me thinks

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Buzzard said:

Hi Kathy,

so many to pick from!  

As a child I have fond memories of spring and summer days watching and waiting for the migrants to return.

The Cuckoo is certainly up there as one of my favourites.

Just love to hear the call, don't know why but it always stops me in my tracks!

I have sat for hours on many a day just listening to a chorus of bird song and calls, then in the distance a Cuckoo calling gradually getting closer and closer always makes my day.

I was very forunate last year as I sighted six at various locations, as the Cuckoo is now on the Red List of endangered birds I felt even more privileged.

Personally I think It would be an absolute tragedy if this bird disappears from our shores!

Regards Buzzard

Hooray! Heard the first chiffchaffs singing near Banbury on Sunday (two of them). Here comes summer...

Not heard any chiffchaffs yet here... Although one was reported at Venus Pool on 21.03.

There are many birds which I look forward to, such as the hirundines and swifts of course, but I agree with Buzzard as regards hearing the cuckoo! Something special about that! Funnily enough, the most I've ever heard is on Skye! They seem to be everywhere there!!