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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Spring is here!! (1 Viewer)

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member
We have had a few spring visitors here in Britain. A sprinkling of Garganey, Sand Martins and White Wagtails have already been seen. Also an Osprey in Gloucs, a Swallow in E.Sussex and a Whimbrel in Northumbria. No Wheatears yet tho.

Post your migrant sightings in this spring thread, so we can all enjoy the thrill of this Spring.

CB
 
and you may have the chiffchaff's soon, as those that were here had left two weeks ago, we are having new ones now.
also from two weeks ago we had a woodchat shirks.

no northern wheatear though until now.
 
There's a subtle movement of wildfowl, waders and gulls going on too. Not the most obvious migrants at the moment but they are definitely moving around.
Bit of a late winter influx of Glossy Ibis. Also whats going on with the white Storks?

Gareth
 
We have Chiffchaffs overwintering so it can be difficult to tell the genuine migrants from the wintering birds.

CB

a number of Chiffchaff's winter here and some comes late January, i usually tell them apart by the behavior those who stay all winter usually be well hidden and very elusive, while those new comers seem at first more camera friendly, and visit the water bath more often.

that's also the case with common whitethraots, black caps, and wrynecks.
 
I'm listening every day with bated breath for the first returning Chiff-chaff. The earliest was 20th Feb but I've usually heard one by the end of the first week in March. Also, any day now, I shall see the first Sand Martin (they nest adjacent to the canal towpath on my way to work).
 
Several more Sand Martin and White Wagtail sightings over the last few days. A couple of Wheatears over the last 2 days (one in Staffordshire). The first Swallow and Whimbrel today.

Gareth
 
3 reports of Osprey today. chats are definitely on the move with few more Wheatear today and Black Redstarts and Stonechats moving through. Water Pipits, Rock Pipits, and Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails all moving through too.

Gareth
 
Willow Warbler reported in Dorset today.
4 Yellow Wagtails reported in Sussex.
More Garganey today; 1 in Sussex, 1 in Hants, 1 in Berks, 1 in Beds, 2 in Derbyshire and 12 in Kent over three sites. More Sandwich terns along the coast. Forgot to mention the other day a Pom Skua had been seen too.
End of next week should see a bit more coming in with the air pressure/wind changing.

Gareth
 
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Chiffchaffs seem to be trickling in (there's been 4 reported in Oxon at non wintering sights), though I can't really see any real evidence of migrants (there's been several through Portland for a few days). Are the birds in land wintering ones moving about or the earlier migrants?

Gareth
 
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