Return migration has started! (2 Viewers)

[ColD]

Today on Crete 350c Wood Sandpipers on a local beach along with the tourists in temperatures of 29.80C. I am trying to find out if there are any records of them prior to some in previous Augusts. I have never seen any here in July before or seen them in these numbers !:eek!:
Cheers ColD
http://www.cretewww.com
http://www.freewebs.com/colnsue/index.htm

 

[dantheman]

Had a Wheatear today by the River Thames, Dartford Marshes today. A few wader species too, including a flock of 20 Common Sandpipers feeding on the mud and a Whimbrel.

 

[Connor Rand]

Nationally an Icterine Warbler on the Farnes must be of note - if it wasn't raised somwhere on the English east coast...

 

[John P]

Had a Wheatear today by the River Thames, Dartford Marshes today.

It had made it as far as the South coast today.

 

[rokermartin]

Lot of waders appearing at Teeside now 25 species recorded yesterday.Little Stints,Curlew Sandpipers,Common Sandpipers Wood Sandpipers,Green Sandpipers,Whimbrels,Greenshanks etc.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Yellow-legged gulls

I was wondering what the deal is with Yellow-legged gulls? Some big ponds are getting well over 50 a night now. Are these birds just non-breeders returning for the winter months? Do we have many that stay through the year? Any records of them breeding here yet??

Cheers
Gareth

 

[rokermartin]

Its the peak time of year now to see YL Gulls after they have bred many of them disperse and a good number of them end up in the UK .Especially in Southern England and a few elsewhere .

 

[Motmot]

We had yesterday passing swallows here in Bahrain but we are not certain if they are going north and are late or coming south and early!

If there were lots of young birds involved or only adult looking ones its easy...

 

[gareth_blockley]

A lot less swift around over the last couple of days...

Gareth

 

[Atricapilla]

First Little stint,Curlew, Marsh and Wood sands arrived here yesterday just as I had finished my new bamboo panel hides ,great timing.

 

[Lichfield Birder]

I was wondering what the deal is with Yellow-legged gulls? Some big ponds are getting well over 50 a night now. Are these birds just non-breeders returning for the winter months? Do we have many that stay through the year? Any records of them breeding here yet??

Cheers
Gareth

I think a minimum of a few pairs breed in Dorset/Hampshire each year according to RBBP.

 

[Allen S. Moore]

Stating the b. obvious, perhaps, but ...

... return migration is continuing, even over my home town! I saw a swift fly over this evening, my only record since late July.

Allen

 

[Atricapilla]

Here's the first Whitethroat arriving back in my garden feeding on the lantana bush this migration

 

[Steve Turner]

Early push of chats in UK?

Just wondering if anybody birding inland sites (or coastal for that matter) recorded an unusually early pronounced return migration of chats last month?

On my patch (Berry Hill, Staffs) we had max. day counts of 5 Whinchat and 5 Redstart, plus 2 juv Stonechat and a Black Redstart! I would've expected those sorts of figures for late Aug/early Sept, but it was rather unusual for mid-late July.
Perhaps interestingly, out of a probable total of about 6 Whinchats last month, only one was a juvenile...so does this indicate a poor breeding season, hence why adult birds have no reason to hang around, or is it just that species are arriving earlier and therefore depart earlier?!!

Steve

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

tuesday watch out for migration on the south coast eg cornwall and that area there are possible gales coming round of europe and atlantic so never know

 

[rokermartin]

Large numbers of Pink footed Geese have been seen arriving down the east coast today.

 

[Dale Forbes]

there are still good numbers of willow warblers and chifchafs moving through the Austrian Alps although I have not seen a wood warbler or bonellis in a good while. i think the willow warblers reached their peak about two or three weeks ago and are now petering out.

still some lesser whitethroats moving through,
and "lots" of ducks and dabchicks seem to be around. well, maybe lots is not the best of words to describe waterfowl in the mountains of Tirol ;-)

I have posted quite a number of posts on the migration in the normal place:
http://alpinebirds.blogspot.com

happy birding
dale

 

[rokermartin]

20,000 Barncale Geese and 10,000 PF Geese reported at Budle Bay Northumberland this afternoon.

 

[Allen S. Moore]

Return migration is continuing for me this evening, as I have heard a redwing over my yard tonight, my first of the autumn.
Allen

 

[Capercaillie71]

Saw my first brambling of the winter today, on the garden feeders.

Edit: And here it is