Migration still slow: 24 April

Light SE winds produced a few more migrants at the patch today, though numbers of most are still very low.

At Staines Moor 1m Whinchat, 2 Cuckoo (1 NE corner, 1 over high W), 1 Garden Warbler, 1m Lesser Whitethtroat (NE corner), 2(H) Reed Warbler are all site year firsts. 5 Yellow Wagtail (inc. 4 (2m, 2f) around the livestock), 1+ Hobby, a 1st summer m Northern Wheatear, 1 House Martin and 5 Barn Swallow were also logged and 4 Common Whitethroat, 5(3H) Sedge Warbler and 4 Common Tern are all increases.

One of four Yellow Wagtail around the livestock today

Male Northern Wheatear today

Also noted at Staines Moor were 3+ Red Kite (including one landing beside the Colne briefly), 2+ Common Buzzard, 2(1m, 1f) Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1+ Kestrel, 9 Greylag Goose (circled moor then off SW), 3+ Little Egret (Colne), 1 Pied Wagtail, 16-25 Linnet (a good count for this time of year), 2 Redshank, 3+ Northern Lapwing (inc. a territorial pair), 10(8m) Reed Bunting, 7 Skylark, 24 Meadow Pipit, 9(3H) Blackcap, 10(8H) Chiffchaff (inc. a pair nest building) and 3(H) Cetti's Warbler and a Mistle Thrush.

One of at least three Red Kite over Staines Moor today, this bird in heavy moult

My first Common Swift of the year flew over Stanwell Moor Village first thing, as well as a Red Kite, and Stanwell Moor added another Lesser Whitethroat (H), 1 Common Whitethroat, 3(2H) Sedge Warbler, 2(H) Cetti's Warbler (inc. new territory along Colne Valley Way near Stanwell Moor Village), 4(1H) Blackcap and 5(4H) Chiffchaff.