First Common Swift of the year
A rain front moving through always provides good conditions for dropping migrants in at this time of year.
First Common Swift of the heading south over the reserve in front of the rain which arrived around midday.
Highest count of the year for Dunlin with 80 birds on the reserve. Seventeen Ringed Plover were new in, in addition to the local breeding pairs. Most of these were of the tundra race, smaller and darker than the resident birds and always associated with Dunlin on passage.
A good count of 150 icelandic race Black-tailed Godwit. These may have been local birds moved in from the Ribble or perhaps birds moving North from further a field.
Other waders included 2 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 40+ Avocet, 2 Curlew, 10+ Redshank, 10+ Oystercatcher, Common Snipe and ~ 200 Lapwing.
Possibly more Wheatear in today with 6+ birds recorded. At least 25 White Wagtail, 2 Pied and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
Merlin was the pick of the raptors, 3+ Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.
