Spring has well and truly sprung this week and with the warmth of the morning sun many birds seem to be ‘getting in the mood’. At the PC World drain this AM there were a minimum of 20 Common Chiffchaff, several of them singing and sub-singing in the scrub. These are all over-wintering Chiffchaff as its way too early for spring migrants to be arriving from southern Europe and North Africa, however our ringing research over the last few years has shown an increase in Chiffchaff numbers at this site during late January/early February which could be over-wintering Chiffchaff from other areas visiting this productive feeding site before they themselves move away on spring migration. Also singing there this AM were 2 Song Thrush, Siskin and Greenfinch.

At Lytchett Fields there was a single Spotted Redshank and Greenshank with 3 Med Gulls back out in the bay. Through the rest of February and into March Med Gulls will become more conspicuous as they return from over-wintering sites as their easily recognisable calls will be easily heard at sites like Baiter and Whitley Lake on the low tides. In Parkstone Bay 2 Goldeneye were settled with 7 Red-breasted Merganser also there and 11 Turnstone were on the beach. Out on the heathlands the first Woodlark song of the year was heard at Arne and Dartford Warbler were also enjoying the late winter sunshine as they became really active around midday.