Ringing: 3 Robin, 2 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Great Tit, 1 Dunnock.
Southbound 124 Barnacles, 3 Brent, Curlew, Grey Wag, Oyk, Mipit & Skylark with northbound 13 Red-throated Diver. A Black Red at the fishing club at Manor Road car park was new in. Single Fire & Goldcrest appeared in the compound mid-day but it was not ascertained whether these were ringed birds from last autumn or not - if they were new then this would be our earliest ever spring arrivals by a week or so. A Fieldfare put in appearance & a Purp was on the groynes along the Butts.
345 Cormorant headed out early. A male Stonechat is the first of the year of this, one of the classic, early spring migrants that get going at the end of February. Apart from this a single Mipit south & a very small handful of Brent & Red-throated Diver coming & going.
550 Cormorant headed out fishing in one flock pre dawn. Offshore southbound 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Barnacles, 2 Brent, Knot & Shelduck with northbound 2 Brent & 2 Red-throats. Signs of spring were a handful of Lesser Black-backs siting on containers in the dock & 2 Shelduck paying a visit prior to the breeding season. Only other movers & shakers was a visiting Chaffinch, Mipit south & a Stockie heading inland. 2 Kestrel was the first time that one of both sex has been seen on the same day since the last time we noted one of both sex sometime last year - lets hope that they become 'friends'
Bit of movement in the shape of southbound 46 Barnacle Geese, 7 Red-throated Diver, 5 Chaffinch, 5 Oyk, 4 Shelduck, 3 Skylark & Yellowhammer with northbound 16 Brent plus a Marsh Harrier that flew out to sea due East looking like it knew exactly what it was doing. The first hint of Yammer passage is right at the end of February, although some springs we record hardly any at all. A walk around the reserve proves that it is migrant less with the highlight being 5 Ringos on the beach plus a single Purp on the groynes at the Butts. A dead Red-throat was on the tideline behind the cottage.
