In this rather chilly and breezy spring weather that we're having, it's a rather stuttering start to spring so far. The floods have gradually receded to a nice healthy size though they've so far been so full that there's not been much of a shoreline to attract any waders, There has certainly been some passage movement but it's been rather low key to date. A few COMMON TERNS have been going through and the first WILLOW WARBLERS have been seen and heard at the Trap Grounds and along the Castle Mill Stream. I also heard (though didn't see) my first Meadow SWALLOW but there have been no further Sand Martins so far.
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| Here's a Swallow from last year |
The highlight so far was today when I was surveying the rather typical fare of late: 8 SHELDUCK, 3 OYSTERCATCHERS, 5 GADWALL, 1 REDSHANK and 1 COMMON TERN. I heard a Tern calling that wasn't a Common or Arctic and sure enough a SANDWICH TERN flew through, with a small fish in its bill, being hotly pursued by half a dozen Black-headed Gulls. This party flew off strongly out of sight to the North though a little while later the various gulls drifted back again. Sandwich Tern is a real patch Mega, this being only the third record to date though we were lucky enough to have one a couple of years ago at this time of year.
So with some hot weather now on the way, things should finally pick up. Indeed as I write this on the morning of the 18th I've already seen 3 HOUSE MARTINS, and had a Holly Blue and Brimstone pass through my garden. Spring proper is finally here!
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