13th April

Nice and sunny but a strong and cold NW wind made the day a bit uncomfortable; most of the birds were around the lighthouse and leftovers from the past few days with the exception of the first 4 Sand Martins of the year over Gunnarsmyra with presumably yesterday’s Swallow.   Other birds of note included the two Black Redstarts still, the drake Garganey still, 3 Chiffchaffs and 16+ Song Thrushes in Lebeltet, 16+ White Wagtails, 45 Golden Plover, a tiny male Merlin and a huge female Peregrine while 200+ Common Gulls went north.

The only Gull rings read today were a couple of local Herring Gulls which have only wandered as far as Lyngdal and Flekkefjord - its always interested me why most of the Herring Gulls darvic ringed in this area never travel very far and are regularly re-sighted through their lives whereas the odd bird travels hundreds of miles as a young bird only returning to its natal area when it is of breeding age.

The year's first Swallow

If there's nothing else to photograph just pop down to the harbour to look for some ducks!