16th Apr 2016

Ian Rowe was out early morning and had a Common Sandpiper and a mixed flock of 60 hirundines come in. Mid morning, by the time I got there there were well over 200 hirundines and there had obviously been a few more birds coming in as there was three Common Sandpiper, five plus Yellow Wagtails and two White Wagtails. I saw a Redstart along the western fence that was very elusive other than the fact it was almost constantly calling. 


Late afternoon there was a big reduction in hirundine numbers and only two Common Sandpipers, three Yellow Wagtails and a single White Wagtail. There was a Whitethroat along the river and another in the bushes on the western side. A Redstart was still around and was very mobile. I actually thought that there was two, but on reflection I think all sightings involved the same bird. It ranged from the hedge between the water treatment works and the cattle filed all the way up to the edge of the wood and I even saw it over by the river. 

John and I have been discussing how many Redstarts we have had this spring now and it seems very likely that we have had three different birds with the one today the same as yesterday, but we may have had four. 

All pictures courtesy and copyright of JFT (taken yesterday)