This is the time when the last of the winter visitors depart for their more northerly / easterly breeding grounds and when the bulk of the summer visitors arrive to breed while others pass straight through. Please record first arrival dates and any movements of summer & passage birds e.g. Swallow & Common Sandpiper resp. Far more difficult record last records of our winter visitors – e.g. Redwing, Fieldfare.
Redwing & Fieldfare, Brambling, Siskin & Redpoll. The latter 2 may stay to breed.
Pink-footed Geese will be heading back to their Icelandic breeding grounds.
Record remaining Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail, Pochard & Tufted Duck. Latter may stay to breed so please record.
Chiffchaff (In in large numbers now), Willow Warbler & Blackcap (First birds already recorded in our area), Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler. Cetti’s Warbler is a resident but listen for its explosive song.
Yellow Wagtail is now a very rare bird so please submit all sightings. Do not confuse with Grey Wagtail which is a resident along our streams & rivers. All breeding records.
Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpiper are mainly passage birds but Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe may just stay to breed. Oystercatcher move inland to breed.