Spring

[Joe Ray]

Thought it might be worth starting up a general spring migration thread. A couple of hundred Sand Martins reported up and down the country today, as well as numerous Wheatears and a few other migrants such as Sandwich Tern and Little Ringed Plover. Looks like spring in finally here!
Anyone have anything to add recently?

[Colin Key]

Saw my first Woodchat Shrike today (over two weeks later than usual) and my first Pallid Swifts. Our overwintering Osprey (since last October) is still here but many winter visitors (large numbers of Chiffchaffs and sp....r Robins and Bluethroats) have left in the past week.

Colin

[andy22]

Was down on the south coast yesterday, managed to get a few Sand martins, house martins and a swallow! by far the earliest hurrindines ive ever seen!!

cheers andy

[chris butterworth]

Had my first White Wagtails on 14th and Wheatear and Swallows on16th here on the Wirral. Try deeestuary.co for daily reports from the Dee, cracking site

[Joe stockwell]

rooksbury mill's gone mad, in the last 2 days we have had an influx of 40+ chifchaff with willows thrown in the mix, swallows (2 on tuesday) house1 and sand martins3 plus a few more grebes, 7 atogther 2 little and 5 gc

[Colin Key]

Had nine Purple Herons this afternoon, 7 at Lagoa dos Salgados and 2 at Ria de Alvor. We watched these birds coming in off the sea at both localities against a strong NW wind and all the birds were absolutely knackered when they put down.

Also had the largest flock of Alpine Swifts (100+) I have ever seen at Pêra Marshes, and two Short-toed Eagles thrown in for good measure.

Colin

[Christopher Cachia Zammit]

Today I saw 2 Grey Herons, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel, Black Winged Stilt and some swallows...

[chris butterworth]

Got my first Willow Warbler of the year today along with Wheatear and White Wagtail. There must have been an influx of Willichiffs onto the Wirral yesterday afternoon as they were found over most of the area. Very few hirundines so far, though.
Chris

[Colin Key]

The first Bee-eaters arrived 10 minutes ago (they nest in an earth bank just opposite my house), a Common Cuckoo is calling like crazy in my garden, and my Red-rumped Swallows which nest in a passageway between the house and the garage are now feeding young.

Colin

[Colin Key]

This morning (7.00 am) as I went out to walk my dog I had the first Montagu's Harrier (an adult female) for the Algarve cruise slowly over my garden (I already have it on my garden list from previous years). This afternoon, three Collared Pratincoles flying over the marsh at Ria de Alvor.

Colin

[AndyB]

Colin, any photos of your garden or the view you have?

[Colin Key]

Hi Andy,

Yes, but where the hell they are goodness only knows! I have quickly managed to dig out a few which are in my Photobucket gallery:


1. My house surrounded by almond blossom in the spring sunshine. I own 4000 square metres including this intensely wooded area behind the house.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/0C0J4660.jpg

2. View from my kitchen window - only a small portion of my land is converted into an ornamental garden:

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/IMG_2599b.jpg

3. View from upper roof terrace after the heavy rains this spring showing the marsh, saltpans and the tidal lagoon in the distance.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/Floods.jpg

4. Sunset over the marsh, taken from the terrace in front of the house:

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/IMG_2823a.jpg

It is a very beautiful, tranquil place which is protected as a Ramsar Site, Nature 2000 Site, and allegedly due to have Special Protection Area status conferred upon it, but alas, it is also just about to get f****d by property developers.

Colin

[Brian S]

Colin

I think we'll have a surfbirds forum annual meeting there next April??

Brian S

[Colin Key]

Seriously Brian, the place might not exist as it is by next April. I and many others are doing our best to "kick ...." here to prevent Aprígio Santos (current owner of most of this land) from destroying what you see in these photographs. He is a Euro billionaire and appears to be above the law in Portugal. It is very depressing for individuals like myself and even more so for the A Rocha Association who have built up the field studies centre and ringing station here over many years - they are now forbidden access to nearly all of this land for their scientific studies.

Colin :hmpf:

P.S. You couldn't afford my rates!! :laugh:

[Colin Key]

This morning a male Golden Oriole singing (is there really a more beautiful sound??) in my neighbour's garden (they nested there two years ago), and this afternoon two absolutely gorgeous Black-eared Wheaters on the fence down at the lagoon (and still a male Common Cuckoo calling his heart out in my garden).

Just before dawn this morning I witnessed 300-400 Bee-eaters coming in off the sea at Alvor; they rested on the dunes for ten minutes and then began moving north - the sound was absolute magic.

Colin :smile::beer:

[AndyB]

Looks beautiful Colin. I hope you can hold off the development.

[andy22]

I saw my first willow warbler ( i know.. they have been in for a week or two now) down at portland also had a manx past the bil and a puffin on the sea there. Blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchafs singing from every branch down in weymouth last sunday and i even saw sand martins flying around in a snow flurry down at radipole!! Also herd that there was 7,000 sand matins at chew valley lake today!! what a sight that must have been!!!

cheers andy

[Jacqueline Burrell]

In Taba on the Gulf of Aqaba, there were literally hundreds on Barn Swallows and Sands Martin when I was there last week. At a distance, the birds on the tree silhouetted against the mountains in the first two pix looked like large seeds but it was a fantastic sight when I got closer.

The sky was full of them and if I gazed at them for too long I felt dizzy with the graceful but erratic movement.

There was a source of fresh water and dozens skimmed across the surface.

I had to be content with pix of them perching, everything else came out a blur.

There were some around the Suez area, but far fewer.

Jacqueline

[Jacqueline Burrell]

One of the hundreds of Merops Apiaster I have seen in the last ten days on the Red Sea coast and the southwestern outskirts of Cairo.

Jacqueline

[Colin Key]

This photo was taken on 23rd April on the beach at Alvor. There are many Kentish Plover nesting in the extensive dune system but this nest was adjacent to the entrance to a beach restaurant and people were literally stepping over it (without realising it was there), as well as numerous early-morning dog walkers (including myself) getting very close to it.

This afternoon the eggs were replaced with three little bundles of "fluff" on very long legs and a supremely proud "mum" acting as shepherd. Magic.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/IMG_2954.jpg

Colin

EDIT: P.S. Just realised that this is nothing at all to do with the thread title "spring migration", but I am leaving it in place anyway!!

[b4quin]

Entertained for a couple hours on my back deck by a yellow rumpted warbler and a pine warbler. Cedar waxwing made a quick appearance. Good day for a backyard guy. Waiting for hummingbirds. Bill Q