29th March 2024 – sunny spells SSE3/4
Rarities
The surprise of the day involved 2 Cattle Egret heading into Morecambe Bay early morning. This is the first island record for 60 years when a single was seen on 26th July 1964.
Offshore
A check of the sea (0700-0800) revealed 170 Common Scoter, 13 Kittiwake, 8 Sandwich Tern, 3 Gannet and a Red-breasted Merganser.
Grounded Migrants
Limited to 3 Wheatear and single Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler – the latter the first of the year.
Diurnal Migration
A flock of 22 Whooper Swan headed north and 3 Siskin were amongst a trickle of Meadow Pipit.
Breeding Birds
The first Sand Martin are now back at nest sites and 12 Chiffchaff and 4 Jay were in breeding habitat.
Miscellaneous
The group of 12 Water Pipit were again present and the Hooded Crow and Cetti’s Warbler both remain.
