Spring migration gets underway

It has been a week of arrivals and departures. Parties of Bewick's Swans have been reported heading east, continuing on to continental Europe. Pink-footed and Brent Geese have been heading north too, as have Redwing and Fieldfare.

Reporting rate of Fieldfare on BirdTrack

 A short spell of southerly winds in the last day or two seems to have encouraged the first arrivals of hirundines, with three House Martins, a handful of Sand Martins and a Swallow reported.

The weather patterns look very unsettled for the week ahead, with the wind switching between southerly and westerly. More hirundines could start arriving if the wind remains southerly, as well as potentially the first Wheatears.

Wheatear by Paul Hillion/BTO

These could be joined by the first Chiffchaff from wintering sites around the Mediterranean basin joining our wintering birds. The historical reporting rate of Chiffchaff on BirdTrack shows a noticeable increase in early to mid March.

Reporting rate of Chiffchaff on BirdTrack

Paul Stancliffe and Stephen McAvoy