Another absolutely glorious day albeit with the warm sunshine ever so slightly tempered by a noticeable easterly breeze. Migrant interest came in the form of a very early first
Ring Ouzel of the season at Penn's Weare, another
Swallow through at the Bill,
a single Meadow Pipit in/off and a small increase in
Stonechats (4 new ones) at the Bill and a
Snipe at Shepherd's Dinner; 5
Canada Geese over the Bill were most likely relatively local birds with typical spring wanderlust. Winterers still about included 4
Purple Sandpipers, 4
Short-eared Owls and a
Black Redstart at the Bill and another
Black Redstart and a
Firecrest at Church Ope Cove.
A
Large Tortoiseshell (evidently first seen yesterday) was still at Tout Quarry, 4
Painted Ladys and a
Red Admiral were at Church Ope Cove and another single
Painted Lady was at the Bill.
One of the Painted Ladys at Church Ope Cove © James Phillips:
There probably aren't many places left where folk would be even mildly interested in fly-by Canada Geese but they are still quite infrequent visitors to the Bill - this morning's party were so close over the Obs that we could only get singles in the frame © Martin Cade:
