April 2003 Summary
By far the most productive month of the year so far. Bird of the month was without question a splendid full breeding plumaged Purple Heron. Other highlights included two more "pass-through" Ospreys and a noticeable passage of waders and hirundines. Site scarcities included three Wheatears and three Shelduck. Most of the visiting warbler species were also back by the end of the month.
|
Species |
Highest Count |
Date |
Notes |
| Great Crested Grebe |
73 |
22nd |
|
| Purple Heron | 1 | 16th | Only the 2nd SBR record |
| Little Egret | 1 | 12th | |
| Shelduck |
3 |
16th |
|
| Tufted Duck |
3 |
29th |
|
| Osprey | 1 | 7th/13th | Two different birds |
| Buzzard | 10 | 20th | |
| Kestrel | 1 | 27th | |
| Peregrine | 1 | 27th/28th | |
| Sparrowhawk | 2 | 28th | |
| Red-legged Partridge | 1 | 17th | |
| Snipe | 1 | 2nd | |
| Common Sandpiper | 5 | 11th | First bird on 9th |
| Green Sandpiper | 3 | 8th | |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 1 | 22nd | |
| Swift | 50+ | 30th | First bird on 26th |
| Stock Dove | 2 | 8th | |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 2 | 22nd | |
| Cuckoo | 1 | 30th | First bird on 30th |
| Grey Wagtail | 1 | 22nd | |
| Wheatear | 3 | 11th | |
| Swallow | 100+ | 30th | First bird on 8th |
| Sand Martin | 20 | 26th | First bird on 2nd |
| House Martin | 150+ | 30th | First bird on 11th |
| Willow Warbler | 3 | 16th | First bird on 12th |
| Cetti's Warbler | 1 | 22nd/30th | |
| Blackcap | 1 | 26th | First bird on 26th |
| Whitethroat | 2 | 22nd | First bird on 17th |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 1 | 29th | First bird on 29th |
| Reed Warbler | 1 | 17th | First bird on 17th |
| Goldcrest | 1 | 22nd | |
| Marsh Tit | 2 | 22nd | |
| Raven | 2 | 11th | |
| Bullfinch | 5 | 27th | |
| Reed Bunting | 4 | 27th |