First Chiff

My blog title was nearly 'I wish I'd stayed in bed this morning' but then I thought about it and thought that every time I go out, even if I don't see a great deal it has been worthwhile. Mind you, my first reaction at 5.30 a.m. when I set off into the mist wasn't that at all!

I headed to the 'obs' in the hope of my first Wheatear of the Spring, but based on the weather conditions I knew this was unlikely. The wind was southerly, which was good, but the overnight murk and mist would probably have held migrants up. Surprisingly there were a few birds on 'vis', most of them heading north, but a few heading south; presumably just moving around 'off passage' because of the weather conditions. I had 29 Meadow Pipits, 20 Alba Wags, 1 Pied Wagtail and 10 Chaffinch (headed south).

A quick look through the fog on the sea revealed a first on the sea off the obs for me in the form of a male Goldeneye, 9 Eiders and 3 Cormorants.

Grounded migrants were restricted to a single Goldcrest calling from grassland behind the sea wall and a singing Chiffchaff, my first for the year.

Back home in my moth trap was a single Hebrew Character.

 Hebrew Character

I have a couple of site visits this afternoon in some good habitat so I am hoping I might pick up another early migrant or two then. Perhaps that first elusive Wheatear!