Oh, so, so slow

 Nearly the end of March and my first posting of the year and it really isn't worth it.  With a tally of 47 species and at 38.01%, 2024 has been my slowest start to a year ever, with all previous years having scored in excess of 50 species by this time. Little grebe in February is the only notable species being the third year for this species and the first time they've not been in the autumn.  All other species are pretty much 100% ers.

The first summer mig of the year appeared today in the form of a rather nice chiffy flitting around a hedge and brought hope of better birding days ahead.

Happy Days 

Bushveld

Ooooo Migrants

 Yes indeedy, the long wait for spring is finally over. It started on thursday pm when I bumped into 2 fresh-in chiffchaffs bouncing around the gorse bushes on the top lane. By friday, numbers had increased to at least 9 birds although I'm sure there were way more than that, as birds weren't being very showy in the stiff easterly breeze.

Managed to get out again on sunday, when in addition to 4 more chiffs, I banged into a very smart male black redstart briefly, before it booted off. Always good to get a black red nice and early in the year.

Another quick look in the wheatear-less fields this lunchtime and sadly, while they were still ear-less, I did glean a sparrowhawk for the year and another chiff.

Any day now for the ears, hopefully!