Migration....What Migration!

When I read....'no more than a small flurry' and 'a day to forget in a hurry'....on a website like Portland Bird Obs, it came as no big surprise that it took me three hours birding to see just a lone Sand Martin heading north at Cockersand on Monday. 

Also at Cockersand, a Wheatear was on the embankment by Plover Scar, 4 White Wagtail were with similar Pied Wagtail, a Shoveler pair were also on the flood, not seen here since 22 March, a few barely double figure Meadow Pipit and Skylark seen, and a Reed Bunting.

I made no attempt at assessing the all distant swans today, but if the Mute Swan stand at the same number as my last count, I'd suggest there was no more than 50 Whooper Swan remaining at Cockersand on Monday.  

On the Lune Estuary, 7 Eider, 5 Goldeneye, a Greenshank, and a Goosander. By Christ Church, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Dunnock, and a stunning male Greenfinch seen, a Great-crested Grebe was noted on the canal basin. 

Being it was now 9 April, there's no knowing whether or not the Common Sandpiper I saw at Conder Green, was a migrant or my wintering friend, but if where I found the bird was anything to go by, it was the latter. 

Butterflies seen, 10 Small Tortoiseshell and a Green-veined White.

Black Redstart.

I was grateful for two text alerts I received about the female/1st winter Black Redstart at Bank Houses, Cockerham Sands on Tuesday. Interesting that a Black Redstart I found on 9 November 2009 at Cockerham Sands, double interesting in that it was also at Bank Houses on the rooftop, this bird stayed around for six days.

A migration update yesterday 11 April....'plenty of birds get moving'....at Portland Bird Obs