British Birding Association UK400 Club

With a strong, warm SSW wind blowing, a wave of spring migrants is arriving across the country including some early dates, including a Common Redstart in Surrey, a Tree Pipit in Norfolk and an adult male Pied Flycatcher in Dorset. These three new species take the 2008 total to 281 species.

 

Elsewhere, a CORY'S SHEARWATER flew North past Saltcoats Harbour (Ayrshire) at 1855, and a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was discovered at Swallow Pond NR, Wallsend (Northumberland), showing well in Willows by the screen hide. A COMMON CRANE on Fair Isle (Shetland) (31st March) may be the bird seen today flying SW over Burravoe on Yell at 1345.

 

Two North American Green-winged Teals remain at the north shallow end of Eyebrook Reservoir (Leics), with another at 100 Acre Pools Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs), whilst LESSER SCAUPS include drakes at Auchenreoch Loch (Dumfries & Galloway), Barrow Gurney Reservoirs No.3 Tank (Avon) and on North Uist (Outer Hebrides) (at Loch an Fhaing). An adult drake KING EIDER is still south of Girvan (Ayrshire) and just south of the A77/A714 roundabout. A single adult white morph ROSS'S SNOW GOOSE remains in Lancashire, consorting with Pink-footed Geese on Aldcliffe Marsh, whilst in Norfolk, the long-staying white morph SNOW GOOSE remains at Heigham Holmes.

 

The singing male PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER continues in Weymouth (Dorset), favouring Two Mile Coppice. From the Dorchester Road north of Morrison's Supermarket Car Park roundabout, take Greenaway Road and follow the footpath under the railway bridge and enter the woodland on the left. Go through the gated entrance and continue 150 yards to view the Ivy and scrub. In Cornwall, the overwintering HUME'S LEAF WARBLER remains at Tehidy Country Park at Camborne (access from South Drive at cSW 649 432).

 

A single SHORELARK remains at Landguard NR (Suffolk) for a second day, with three wintering birds still on Cley North Beach (Norfolk), with two cracking summer-plumaged male LAPLAND BUNTINGS in the Eye Field at Cley.

 

On Anglesey, the 3rd-winter RING-BILLED GULL remains at Bedmannarch Bay (in Penrhos Beach car park), but there was no sign today of yesterday's winter-plumaged adult ROSS'S GULL at Marton Mere LNR, Blackpool (Lancs) (present from just 1230-1710 hours).

 

CATTLE EGRETS are thinning out in number, with just 13 left at Treganhoe Farm, near Drift (Cornwall) and another on 100 Acre Flash at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs).

 

In IRELAND, Galway Harbour (Co. Galway) continues to attract the overwintering first-winter NORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL, a Kumlien's Gull, Glaucous Gull and several Iceland Gulls, whilst nearby the two female SURF SCOTERS remain off Silver Strand Beach by the causeway.