Spring Migrants

[aeshna5]

I've just seen from Bird Guides the first spring migrants have been recorded this past week with a Wheatear at Portland on the 23rd + Sand Martins recorded in both Somerset + Devon.

Roll on spring!

[Dogghound]

Wont be another two/three weeks until we start getting them here.

[FUDGEY]

How on earth do Martins find enough food to survive this early? Surely many early ones will perish?

[Dogghound]

Plenty of Chironomid midges around which probably make up the bulk of their diets at this time of year. We usually see our first ones around 15-20th march here. They are usually the first of the hirundines to show up.

[thebeard]

i read the bird migration new naturalist book recently, and the author says that a lot of the migrants which arrive early will either perish or have reduced first breeding success due to a lack of food. they sometimes pop up early due to poor conditions in their wintering areas, or a bit of good weather encouraging them north.

bring em on, only a few weeks away from that first chiffchaff singing atop the bare branches of a tree!!!

[darrenm]

Saw Sand Martins a few years back chasing wisps of snow in a brief flurry above the river Trent at Fiskerton perhaps thinking it was flying food, a very sad sight indeed.

A friend posted me some pics of Black Redstarts she took at the weekend in Malta and they looked in very poor condition but hopefully if they get to feed up they will soon be in breeding condition.

Today i noticed the Water Rail seem to have gone on my local patch and the first Coltsfoot flowers showing well, brief views of a Peacock Butterfly so hopefully the spring migrants wont be too far off and another one who is looking forward to seeing them arrive

[htcdude]

Sandwich Tern seen off Dungeness yesterday

[BJ1966]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I've just seen from Bird Guides the first spring migrants have been recorded this past week with a Wheatear at Portland on the 23rd + Sand Martins recorded in both Somerset + Devon.

Roll on spring!

Sandmartin seen at mowbury country park cheshire today

[RobinP]

Ringed Plover and Redhank in Herts so far, no reports of Sand Martin or Wheatear yet.

Robin

[Jonners]

Chiffchaff singing at Lackford Lakes yesterday morning