Good Friday

A glorious day and almost the first bird I saw as I headed down the river was a Sand Martin – Spring is really here (although I suspect, looking at tomorrow’s weather forecast, this bird may regret being so impetuous!).

As I was watching this bird Chris Knight texted to say he had had Stonechat near the good old muck heaps in Morton. I walked round there but couldn’t find the bird. I then remembered Bill Oddie’s maxim that the only habitat that migrant chats like is rusty wire. There was a pile of wire from an old fence, I headed over that way and right on cue it popped up on top! Thanks Bill!

This is only the third Stonechat I have seen in the parish although they did occasionally breed at Morton up to the 1960s.

The sunshine also showed off common species at their best like this Dunnock...

.....and Pied Wagtail.

As I walked back over Morton bridge I heard Grey Wagtail. Leaning over the parapet I saw a pair chasing each other in and out of the arches. Perhaps a chance of them breeding here this year?