Migration has been on and off the last few days. April 12th was a really good morning to be on the coast, lots of birds were moving. Several Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits flew over, and good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Linnets. Hirundines were also passing through, with a fair count of Swallows. Since then, things have mostly ground to a halt. The wind has been cold, off the North Sea, and very few birds have been actively moving.
At least today the wind had swung round to the south-east. Still not great to see migration in action – the birds seem to prefer a headwind, which means we really need a westerly – but migrants seem to be getting through again. A morning spent exploring the coast produced the highlight of a splendid male Common Redstart, working its way along the hedges in the sunshine. Generally more common in autumn, it is always a particular joy to see one in spring. A Sedge Warbler was also new in and singing away from some brambles. While the wind was still fresh, it was a great day to be out.
