9th March

From mid-morning onwards a constant procession of bands of rain of varying heaviness severely restricted birding opportunities today and it was only the early starters that got much from the day. At the Bill the season's first 2 Wheatears were on cue grounded arrivals along with another light scatter of Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting. Overhead, a Marsh Harrier arrived in off the sea and a Grey Wagtail passed over but the onset of the rain scuppered any chance of quantifying the flow of incoming Meadow Pipits. A lone Red-breasted Merganser sitting out the rain offshore was the only seawatch sighting of note. Elsewhere, 10 Chiffchaffs and a Black Redstart were at Blacknor.