On the move

With winds swinging southeast early last week, summer migrants poured into the UK, with lots of warblers, chats and hirundines appearing. Willow Warblers and Sedge Warblers were prominent and seemed to have had a good winter down in Africa as their numbers seemed high compared with recent years. By the end of the week, my first Reed Warbler of the year had turned up at Wheldrake Ings along with House Martins, Yellow Wagtails and Whitethroats. Wader passage was exciting at the start of the week, with two Sanderlings with four Ringed Plovers at Wheldrake the highlight, plus my first Whimbrels of the year and a Grey Plover in the LDV was a good find by Neil Cooper. 250+ Black-tailed Godwits were lingering, mostly at Wheldrake and a Little Ringed Plovers and Green Sandpipers were seen at other sites during the week.

First-summer Grey Plover

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

Black-tailed Godwits - still up to 200 in the LDV at the time of writing.

Whimbrel

Swallow - back on territory at Tower Hide