22nd to 24th April

With no sign of any easterly winds, the spring continues at a snails pace-a stark contrast to this time last year when migrants were plentiful. The 22nd brought nothing more than another Sparrowhawk, a handful of phylloscs and the lingering Glaucous Gull though the next day was slightly better with the first Tree Pipit of the year and a Brambling both in Holland gardens while some visible duck movement included 41 Tufted Ducks and a Pochard. Fortunately waders too were less reliant on the wind direction and the first 4 summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits over Kirbest on 23rd were followed by 2 more at Trolla Vatn on 24th when a Greenshank was also at Gretchen. Regular spells of rain, but no wind that day and a calm sea saw the Black-throated Diver relocated again off the north end of the links with 14 Great Northern and 3 Red-throated Divers also present. A Fieldfare and Robin were new but a male Black Redstart at Bewan was the same from a few days ago. A flock of 18 Barnacle Geese flew north with the 7 wintering birds, the 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a Greenland White-fronted Goose still in the Hooking area.

Tree Pipit (photo by George Gay)

 

Woodpigeon