Summer Visitors

[burnhal]

ok all you birdie people. Hows the spring migration doing in your neck of the woods?
On the reserve (near Oxford), we have had chiff-chaffs for about five weeks, swallows, house and sand martins have arrived, little egrets have moved in, willow warbler and lesser whitethroat are here.

[welshlibranr]

Hi burnhal,
I was thrilled to see some swallows here on the coast in South Wales yesterday, despite the cold weather, it's lovely to see them back again!

[Avatar]

Down 'yer in sunny Christchurch it's fairly similar reports from the harbour group.
Chiffchaffs been here for 4 or so week, large arrivals of willow warblers over the last week. Wheatears trickling through etc.
Ive not yet seen my first Hirundine of the year I must be slacking

[Robinia]

Hi burnhal, I've only just seen your Q - you're so lucky to have seen all of those already.

I hope the swallows etc are on their way here to S.Derby but if so they'd better be wearing ponchos 'cos it's still freezing. Actually the earliest I've ever spotted them is May 3rd, they usually arrive between then & the 10th. We usually see more swifts darting over my road & the swallows nest round the corner in the posher houses :o)

[good_egg]

I really struggle to tell my chiffchaffs and willow warblers apart, but i've seen several of one or the other recently. Seen a few swallows, one lonely swift and a few sand martins but they're passing by rather than stopping (im in West Cornwall) Seeing a few wheatears on the dunes and the stonechats are out in force. best sighting of late was a lone great skua standing his ground to a small dog on the beach. only the 2nd one ive ever seen. Great powerfull looking thing.

[Ice.Maiden]

House martins've been here for a few weeks now. I was sure I'd seen them before some visitors commented. the funny thing is, there are still some starlings left. Would they be the last lot of hatchlings?

[burnhal]

Starlings will always be here. We have plenty of residents which will be getting stuck into breeding but in the winter we get masses of imports from Eastern Europe who prefer our milder winters- thats why we get massive starling roosts in the winter. They will have gone home by now leaving our residents.