Spring bird migration highlights - 8 April
The stunning spring weather across most of the UK in the last few days has brought with it a stunning array of Mediterranean overshoots. And the weekend's going to be every bit as interesting...
Black stork © Neil Calbrade/BTO
This week the 's Paul Stancliffe has been inundated with reports:
- , Lincs
- , Dorset
- , Dorset
- , Somerset
- x3, Scilly, Cornwall and Anglesey (last night Linda Edwards )
- x3, Scilly, Norfolk and Cornwall
- x3, Cork, East Yorks and Norfolk
- x2, Dorset and Northumbria
- x2, Scilly
- , Outer Hebrides
- , Cornwall
- , Norfolk
- , Norfolk
"Reading this list you would think that we are in May," says Paul. "It is incredibly early for this number and range of overshoots to be seen in the UK, and it's not over yet. This weekend promises to be a very busy one for anyone interested in migration and the arrival of our summer migrants."
It's all to do with the high pressure we have at the moment. It extends all the way down to central Spain where it meets another high-pressure that in turn extends southwards into the Sahara. "This will be great for any birds migrating north as they experience light southerly winds," says Paul.
"On Saturday, the wind in the UK will be from the south-east and could well drift any migrants from continental Europe into the UK. All this means that this weekend has the potential to be the biggest of the spring."
Yet this past week hasn't just been about the glamourous overshoots. Common migrants have also been making use of this weather, with many turning up in numbers a week or two earlier than they usually would.
"Thursday was a redstart day with birds arriving at lots of locations, in land as well as on the coast," says Paul. "Common swift has been seen on Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, two to three weeks early, and there have been around half-a-dozen cuckoos already this week. I am sure there will be more this weekend." (This morning Dorset Wildlife Trust and on this blog a couple of days ago Child of Herne reported hearing one in Barton le Cley, Bedfordshire.)
" have arrived in number, at least a week early and there has already been a large movement of swallows (yesterday): 250 arrived in one hour at Hengistbury Head, Dorset."
It's all happening out there at the moment then and it looks like the action's going to continue. If you're planning to get out there and enjoy it, let us know here what you see. Even better, if you've got a camera to hand take a snap and share it on the .
Comment number 1.
At 8th Apr 2011, snowyowl wrote:At Bolton Abbey, Yorks today we saw sand martins, a pied flycatcher and a swallow.
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Apr 2011, Jules wrote:This morning I had a close encounter with a twite, it was quite pretty I tried to take a photo but he disappeared. Up on the lake on sunday I got some great shots of shell ducks, tufted ducks, canadian and grey lagged geese. All this on the outskirts of Darlington...
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Comment number 3.
At 14th Apr 2011, smiler wrote:Today 14.4.2011 Two young robins fledged the nest in my pals garden (Manchester)
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Comment number 4.
At 18th Apr 2011, feedyourhedgehog wrote:There's a Fan-tailed Warbler at Oare Marshes in Kent
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Comment number 5.
At 26th Apr 2011, Ann N wrote:On 18th April I saw a Honey Buzzard, flying along the A272, between West Meon and Petersfield!!!!
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Comment number 6.
At 1st Jun 2011, Lesley wrote:I have quite a few caterpillars on one of my buddliea bush, when I searched on the internet they look the same as the ones of the swallow tail butterfly, does anyone know if this is possible, I live in north essex. Thanks Lesley
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