BONAPARTE'S GULL still in West Cornwall

The long-staying first-summer BONAPARTE'S GULL is still present today at the Hayle Estuary - roosting with other gulls on the mud and viewable from the causeway bridge at the west end

WHISKERED TERN in Hampshire this evening

Noticed this sitting on a marker buoy, very distant off Gilkicker/Stokes Bay car park, at 18:38. Viewed on maximum zoom of my scope and light wasn't good so I phoned Dan Houghton for a second opinion, and he came over pretty speedily, was happy my ID was correct, so we then put the news out. As the light faded it was actually easier to see the plumage tones. Apologies to those who arrived too late, just after it flew off! It seemed very happy but was pushed off by a gull and flew off east at 19:23. I presume it had been there when I arrived at 18:15. A tiny bird, Little Tern sized when perched, but all black cap just extending over eye, strongly demarcated white cheeks, dark grey body with darker belly and v. short legs. Bill seemed all black. Potentially it could roost in the Solent overnight and fly past Hayling tomorrow morning! Also one probable RT Diver, 14 Sandwich Terns, 26 Whimbrel and 3 commic terns on the same buoy in near darkness when we left  (John Norton)

WOODCHAT SHRIKE in ESSEX - 2nd day

The adult male WOODCHAT SHRIKE was showing extremely well this afternoon, favouring the hedgerow that runs north from the Rettenden Turnpike roundabout at the junction of the A132 and A130. On occasions, it was 'singing' from the hedgerow but mainly kept catching Bumblebees in the flowering Blackthorn scrub and sitting for long periods after regurgitating pellets....


There is ample roadside verge parking at 9 degrees 33` 37.80` E, 51 degrees 37` 50.86` N

Other than the fact that it is singing, the black upperparts (rather than grey), restricted white forehead patches, dark rufous-chestnut crown and warm flushed flanks all support the fact that it is a male

A beautiful bird and an impressive find

With near gale force and very humid winds and weather blowing up from the Southwest of Europe on Friday, the weekend saw a remarkable run of early spring arrivals, with an additional 19 species pushing the annual tally of birds recorded in Britain and Ireland to 298 species - the highest number ever achieved by the first few days of April.
The latest additions are as follows -:

1) LEACH'S STORM PETREL (an exceptionally early individual windblown inland to Theale GP in Berkshire)

2) PURPLE HERON (two individuals in the Southwest - on Scilly and in Cornwall)

3) BLACK STORK (a very early individual flew NE over Scilly on 2 April and was seen making further headway NE in Somerset on 3 April)

4) Hobby (unusual number of very early migrants)

5) Wood Sandpiper (exceptionally early migrant in Cambs on 2 April)

6) Little Tern (several seen along the South Coast)

7) Common Cuckoo (25+ already arrived - extremely early)

8) ALPINE SWIFT (1-2 mobile individuals on the east coast and another in County Cork)

9) EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (two ridiculously early vagrants - in Cornwall and in Norfolk)

10) WRYNECK (two seen over the weekend in the Southwest)

11) GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK (one at Portland Bill on 3 April)

12) RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (the first to arrive was in West Cornwall)

13) RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL (an exceptional spring female at Durlston Head, Dorest, on 2-3 April)

14) Common Redstart (widespread arrival)

15) Grasshopper Warbler (very early reeler in Norfolk)

16) Western Reed Warbler (Radipole Lake recorded its first on 1 April)

17) WESTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER (a male in North Lincolnshire on 3 April)

18) Common Whitethroat (a few early arrivals on the South Coast)

19) Garden Warbler (exceptionally early male in Cambs)

Rookery last night

Looked in at Rookery South again yesterday evening.......1 adult female Marsh Harrier, pair Pintail, 7 Blackwits, only 1 Dunlin,2 Ruff, c16 Redshanks, 1 LRP, pair R Plovers, 6+Snipe, a few Lapwings, 4m 2f Red Crested Pochards, 8 Sand Martins. Then I drove around to the roost at Stewartby Lake (with Neil Wright)...... a few Sand Martins, 5 Pied Wagtails, 1 Oystercatcher, c550Lesser Black-backs (at least 528 counted), probably no more than c100 other gulls comprising several Herring Gulls, several B H Gulls, 1+s.winter Yellow-legged Gulls, quite a few Great Black-backs and Common Gulls, MJP

SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER and PIED-BILLED GREBE spark the arrival of spring

Suffolk Landguard Bird Observatory warden Ollie Slessor came face to face with a treecreeper at 0650 hours this morning as he was checking the mistnets and on processing the bird minutes later was elated and excited to find that it was a SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER - only the 26th for Britain and a first for the county. The Observatory staff and Landguard regulars were all informed of the find and at 0740 hours, Lee Woods (of Suffolk Birding) broadcast the news more widely.

On handling, the bird was found to be very low on fat reserves and had clearly just recently completed a long flight. It was released back into the trapping area but during the course of the day, managed to flit back in to the open nets on three further occasions, despite being taken and released on ''Iccy Ridge'' later in the morning. It naturally attracted a lot of attention and in addition to the 60 or so Suffolk observers, it was also seen by a further 50 observers from further afield. Although many people managed to see the bird as it was being released each time, it also showed well in the Holm Oaks, with some exceptional photographs being taken (see Chris Darby's above, as well as those of Lee Woods and Paul Oldfield).

The bird was seen on and off throughout the day and was last noted at 1750 hours. I am assuming from the nature of its weight that it is likely to remain in the area for several days.

The fantastic, glorious spring weather of the past few days has certainly inspired a host of migrants to move north, with Garganeys, Pied Avocets, Little Ringed Plovers, Black Redstarts, White Wagtails, Northern Wheatears and Firecrests all arriving in good numbers, along with the first Tree Pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Ospreys and the first wave of Ring Ouzels. Many of this winter's Bohemian Waxwings are now rapidly migrating northwards.

In Argyll, a PIED-BILLED GREBE accompanying a Little Grebe is present for at least a third day close to the pier in Salen Bay on the isle of Mull - showing very well at times but generally distant and elusive.

Two PENDULINE TITS were discovered at Dingle Marshes SWT, Walberswick (Suffolk), this morning, perhaps different to the 3 at Minsmere RSPB Island Mere last week, with a longer-stayer still present close to the Hanson Hide at Dungeness RSPB ARC Pit (East Kent).

The GOLDEN EAGLE continues to wander the moorlands and countryside of Penwith, West Cornwall, flying south over Catchall this morning, whilst of the half a dozen HOOPOES seen during the last week, one still remained at Ashton, Callington (Cornwall) this morning.The only other HOOPOE reported today was a bird in gardens in Higher Lane, Axmouth (South Devon).

Two GREAT WHITE EGRETS appeared in Northumberland today - both at West Hartford Flash viewable from the road, whilst regularly returning adult BONAPARTE'S GULLS remain in Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan) and on Anglesey..

In Lancashire, the first-winter drake LESSER SCAUP continues with Tufted Ducks for a 5th day on the Junction Pool (SD 352 202) at Marshside Marsh RSPB (Pete Kinsella et al), whilst a drake RING-NECKED DUCK was a new arrival at Seaforth LWT. A drake BLUE-WINGED TEAL remains for a 4th day at the west end of Sandy Water Park, Lanelli (Carmarthenshire), with the wintering drake LESSER SCAUP still at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park in Glamorgan and the female RING-NECKED DUCK at Bosherston Lily Ponds (Pembs). A further drake LESSER SCAUP is at the north end of Milton Loch (Dumfries & Galloway), whilst the drake AMERICAN WIGEON continues with Eurasian Wigeon at Rushy Common, SE of Witney (Oxfordshire).

The long-staying first-winter LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER is still to be found at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset), generally feeding on the pools visible from the first viewpoint 150 yards east of the car park.

Over 25 GREAT GREY SHRIKES have been seen in the past week, including several spring migrants, including singles on Cannock Chase (Staffs), Leash Fen (Derbyshire), Stow Maries Airfield (Essex), Wentwood Forest (Gwent), Kit Hill Country Park (Cornwall), Upper Hollesley Common (Suffolk), Hamsterley Forest (County Durham), Skipwith Common (North Yorks), Godlingstone Heath NNR (Dorset), Thursley Common (Surrey), Chobham Common (Surrey), Dalton Crags (Cumbria), World's End (Clwyd) and up to 5 different birds in the New Forest (Hants).

The adult BALTIC GULL present since mid February roosted again this evening with Lesser Black-backed Gulls on The Slough at Lackford Lakes SWT (Suffolk) (viewable from the hide)

A party of 8 SHORE LARKS remains at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincs) and 10 at Cley Beach (North Norfolk)with the wintering bird still showing well on the slag tip at Warton near Carnforth (Lancs).

Two GREAT NORTHERN DIVERS remain on Queen Mother Reservoir (Berks), with SLAVONIAN GREBES at Abberton Reservoir (Essex) and Audenshaw Reservoirs (Greater Manchester)

In IRELAND, the adult drake STEJNEGER'S SCOTER is still to be found in Rossbeigh (County Kerry), tagging on to Common Scoter rafts out in the bay and visible either from the beach or from the cul-de-sac high on the cliff to the west of the town. At least 6 TUNDRA BEAN GEESE have been identified amongst other geese at Lurgan Green (County Louth) whilst a GREAT WHITE EGRET was seen at Inishannon (County Cork) this morning.

The HOUSE CROW remains in Cobh Harbour (County Cork) today, as does the CENTRAL ASIAN LESSER WHITETHROAT in Drogheda (County Louth).

Early COMMON TERN in Cambridgeshire

The biggest surprise during the WeBS count at the Ouse Washes today was a Common Tern seen briefly this morning flying along the Old Bedford River between Welches Dam and the A142.
We didn't have a very good view as it was going away from us with the light against us. Fortunately when returning back to Welches Dam from north of the railway around 3pm having completed our section it was fishing in the river between Purls Bridge and Welches Dam.

It looked like an adult plumage bird except for a white forehead and black bill. I then watched it from Welches Dam Bridge until 5pm just before the rest of the team returned having completed their counts.

From my description Owen Marks suggest it may be the 'portlandica' type plumage, which according to BWP "resembles adult non-breeding, but if moult delayed, plumage often subject to exceptional wear and bleaching, creating 'portlandica'-type plumage pattern".

This is the earliest county record by 6 days.

Bruce Martin & Andy Maddams (RSPB).