Not having any wintering Chiffchaffs about at the Bill makes it a lot easier to spot the first migrant, with this bird's pollened forehead indicating it had likely arrived from a fair bit further away than just across the Channel © Martin Cade:
2nd March
Yesterday's first day of meteorological spring carried on in much the same vein as meteorological winter had ended: comprehensively wet and birdless. Today's much nicer conditions brought a hint of ornithological spring, with the season's first migrant Chiffchaff showing up at the Bill, where a handful of Meadow Pipits and a Stock Dove arrived in off the sea; a Redwing was also a new arrival there and 2 Red-throated Divers passed by on the sea. Wintering fare included the Short-eared Owl at the Bill and several of the regular Black Redstarts dotted about.
