2nd April 2025

 Weather: E  light air with mist, force 5/6 by afternoon

 A single Willow Warbler was the only warbler present at dawn,

 

and we waited until mid - afternoon for the next to show up, a female Blackcap.

 Meanwhile a good number of typical early spring arrivals in the form of 14 Jackdaws, 4 Woodpigeons and 4 Magpies.

 A Reed Bunting dropped in,

 As did a male House Sparrow.

 Only a single Wheatear again today,

 but finches arrived including 15 Goldfinches, 4 Lesser Redpolls and a Siskin. A single White Wagtail completed the small migrants. A female Goosander, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Gannets were on the sea. Brent were scarce today (85), there were 25 Common Scoter and 4 Shelduck.

A group of 2,500 Knot flew north north east, and good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit (55) and Sanderling (265) were logged, but only 2 Purple Sandpipiers were seen. A massive 6,500 Herring Gulls were scattered over the west hoyle at low water. Fox footprints proved its presence between the islands. A Peacock butterfly flew in the sunshine.

Photos SRW 

1st April 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2/3

 

Some mist at first but a sunny and clear day with the lake district visible beyond the wind farms.

 Over 700 Pink-footed Geese flew north out of the estuary early morning.

 Five each of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were down on the island first thing and a total of 7 Wheatears came through.

A Goldcrest, 5 Pied and a White Wagtail were noted with 4 Goldfinches and a small passage of Meadow Pipits. More visitors passing through were 2 Sand Martins, a Redwing and 3 Woodpigeons.

 A Merlin flew south later and 2 Mute Swans sat on the shore.

 

Some of the Brent Geese may have already departed north, there were 125 seen this morning. 

A single Gannet was spotted on the sea, also 30 Common Scoter and 4 Red-breasted Merganser. Sixteen Purple Sandpipers roosted the tide with 95 Turnstone. Twenty Black-headed Gulls flew west while 5,000 Herring Gulls were estimated today.

 

 

Photos SRW