March & April
Birds to look out for in March/April
1. Winter Thrushes – should be getting return passage birds
- Redwing
- Fieldfare
2. Finches
- Brambling – coming into gardens now
- Siskin – should be coming into gardens now
- Redpoll
- Linnet – note flock size
3. Warblers
- Chiffchaff – Expect to hear first birds before next indoor meeting
- Blackcap
- Sedge Warbler
4. Wagtails
- Yellow Wagtail – mainly from mid / end-April
- Grey Wagtails – now setting up breeding territories. All records please
5. Hirundines – note first sightings
- Sand Martin – first birds late March / Early April
- Swallow – mainly from mid / end-April
- House Martin – mainly from mid / end-April
6. Ducks and Geese
- Shelduck – now moving back inland to breed
- Goosander – moving back to breeding areas soon, record last sightings
- Wigeon
- Teal
- Shoveler
- Pochard
- Tufted Duck
- Goldeneye – returning to breeding areas soon, record last sightings
- Pintail – returning to breeding areas soon, record last sightings
- Pink-footed Geese – returning to breeding areas, record last sightings
7. Waders
- Oystercatcher – now moving back inland to breed
- Golden Plover- returning to breeding areas, record last sightings
- Lapwing – Note any breeding records
- Green Sandpiper – passage birds should be present from now on
- Common Sandpiper – passage birds should be present from mid-April
- Redshank – Note all sightings especially any breeding records
- Snipe – Note all sightings especially any breeding records
8. Gulls
- Record flock sizes and species
9. Woodpeckers
- Great Spotted and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are far easier to find during March before the leaves come on the trees
10. Mainly on coast
- Waxwings
- Brent Geese
- Common and Velvet Scoter
- Eider
- Scaup
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Knot
- Grey Plover
- Turnstone
- Dunlin
- Ruff
- Curlew
- Divers
- Grebes
11. Raptors
- Sparrowhawk – Display during March
- Goshawk – Display during March
- Buzzard
- Hen Harrier
- Marsh Harrier – returning to breeding sites
12.Heron Species – Little Egret are now as common as Grey Heron and both will be breeding. Look for them visiting Heronries and count Nests if possible. Also look out for the rare but increasing Great White Egret.
RG2020