April 22nd
Where are all the hirundines? I have never known a spring with so few Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins. It's getting towards the end of April and with me out every day I've probably seen a dozen Swallows, ten Sand Martins and five House Martins in all and this morning I saw none although Marc had the amazing total of 1 Swallow and 2 Sand Martins. Have they been held up by inclement weather or has there been a disaster further south in Africa? Hopefully in the next few days they will start pouring through.
This morning with the sun still shining we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and on to the Oyster Farm and recorded 10 Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Mallard, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 1 Cuckoo (152nd), 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls W, 18 Oystercatchers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Ringed Plovers, 11 Sedge Warblers, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Wheatear, 19 Linnets, 2 Turnstone, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Blackcaps and 1 Turtle Dove.
At home a Red Kite flew W over the garden. It's bizarre that this week I've seen more Red Kites than hirundines!

Turtle Dove

Marc Heath was also out this morning in the Coldharbour area and saw 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Merlin on the rocks before flying out to sea, 2 Grey Partridges, 15 Corn Buntings, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Swallow, 2 Sand Martins, 1 Fulmar W, 3 Common Scoter, 3 Wheatears, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Marsh Harrier.
Derek Smith was out early and between 0600 and 0930 walked from Shuart and along the railway embankment to Chamber's Wall and back via the seawall. He counted 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Whimbrel E, 2 Yellow Wagtails W, 4 Swallows, 3 Wheatears, 6 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 28 Whitethroats, 5 Reed Warblers, 36 Sedge Warblers, 1 Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaffs and 5 Cetti's Warblers.