The Weather finally broke here last night, and a couple of showers followed by some overnight rain raised hopes for some grounded Migrants in the area.
Had hoped to get up early and check out Baddesley Common, but our oldest child had a few nightmares in her sleep. Couldn't face getting up at 6am!
Did however, manage to check out a couple of local sites before work:
Calvelease Copse which has had Grasshoper Warbler and Nightingale so far this spring was fairly quiet. One Whitethroat singing was all I could find there.
Went on to the West end of Hoe Lane and was pleased to see the Wheatear numbers up to 5. Could be more as they were fairly difficult to pick out in fairly long weedy vegetation.
Almost as an afterthought, I stopped off at the Weedy field at the East end of Hoe Lane. This area has been quiet for about a month now. A pair of Stonechats and a pair of Linnets were seen well near the paddock. Decided to walk to the pylon for a good view of the rest of the field and in no time found myself almost surrounded by Wheatears! counted 4, and best of all a superb Male Whinchat popped up onto a bush. This was probably the most colourful Whinchat I have ever seen. Looking at google, the only picture that comes close is at the following link:
http://birds.co.il/photogallery/birds/whinchat.jpg
A real stunner!
Noticed another Wheatear on the boundary hedge in the distance so skirted the hedge to see if anything was on the crop side.
This was the epicentre! By now the Wheatears had regrouped and I counted 7 Wheatears and 2 Whinchats in the hedge and dropping into the field.
Whitethroats singing on Hoe Lane suggesting these have arrived in force.
Let's hope this foul weather continues to the weekend! | 
