Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

Yes, it's finally arrived!

Bright and sunny this morning, but with a biting wind, the first bird as I entered Grin Wood was a willow warbler. While I have been seeing (and hearing) them elsewhere for weeks now, this is the first one for Grin this year. Then, to confirm that Spring is here, at the top of the wood, there was a redstart.

I've just had a weekend on the edge of Coniston in the Lake District and there I identified chiffchaff, willow warbler, garden warbler, blackcap and wood warbler (this last only heard, not seen). While Coniston is much further north than Buxton, Grin Wood stands above 400 metres, so is always a late developer - the trees are only just beginning to sprout, so while others are enjoying and shouting about the first arrivals, it's always several weeks later that the migrants start singing in Grin.

1st May today, traditionally the day when swifts appear in Buxton. I will keep a good lookout from the shop today.

This is exactly the same up here on Mull, the trees are just beginning to break into leaf, and most of our summer migrants have just appeared, although Willow Warblers have been in for a while i, i have still yet to come across a Chiff-chaff.