Spring migration held up

The series of weather fronts crossing the UK and France during the last week had the predicted effect, putting the brakes on migrants arriving from the south. However, there were odd gaps in the weather that did allow some birds to move. Chiffchaffs and Wheatears reached double figures and more Sandwich Terns are being seen at many south coast sites; the first Common Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler got through too.

Singing Sedge Warbler by Peter Garrity

A few BTO members of staff have been hearing Coot flying over at night, along with Redwings and Fieldfares and it reminded me that the overwintering Coot on the Isles of Scilly left the islands during March. The ringing recovery map below shows just where some of them might have been going, amazing for a bird that looks so ungainly in flight during the day!

Map showing ringing recoveries of Coot: Colour of location: Ringed in Britain & Ireland, found Here; Ringed here, found in Britain & Ireland

Winter geese numbers are beginning to fall quite rapidly but there are still decent sized flocks at some east coast sites, 700 Brent Geese are still on the Humber. These will almost certainly take advantage of the improving weather during the early part of next week and move off.

The forecast for the next week is for high-pressure building from Saturday/Sunday and at present Sunday looks good for both birds leaving and birds arriving. We could see the first big arrival of Chiffchaffs. Moving into Monday, the wind is forecast to turn southerly and come from as far south as the Pyrenees and the temperature is due to increase too - ideal conditions for any migrant birds that have been held up in France during the last week, and for those birds waiting to head off north and east. Many of us might see our first Swallow of the spring, always a good bird in March and the first real flush of Ring Ouzels. 

Ring Ouzel by Carl Day

On the rarity front, at this time of the year Alpine Swift and Hoopoe are always favourite but Great Spotted Cuckoo can also be a good bet this early in the season.