Weston Micro's

Cacoecimorpha pronubana new for Weston

Argyresthia cupressella 2nd record for Weston

Monopis weaverella new for Weston (gen det)

Swift passage and some Waders

Grey Plover

Migration not over just yet:
25th May some minor passage at Sand Point early morning with 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Flava and small numbers of hirundines through.
26th May Winds NE3. In Sand Bay 1 Grey Plover, 7 Greenshank, 8 Curlew, 2 Oyc, 50 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling + a steady passage of hirundines and Swifts. From Sand Point 2 Sandwich Tern flew up river. 26th May was the peak passage day for this migration period reaching an apex in temperatures. Breskens, Netherlands recorded a record breaking 41,000 Swifts along with 7,000 House Martin. Not only this, 4 Spoonbill, 20 Turtle Dove, Red-backed Shrike, Golden Oriole and Tawny Pipit also went through.
27th May Winds - NE3. A distinct drop in visible migration. Yesterdays warm winds changing to a much cooler wind. At Sand Point Arctic Skua, 22 Kittiwake, 4 flava and a Turnstone were noteworthy whilst the high tide in Sand Bay produced a Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit and 15 Curlew.
28th/29th May Winds - West1. Nothing much to report on the bird front other than the disappearance of all the small waders in Sand Bay and the larger waders all still present in much lighter wind conditions. Painted Lady, Diamond-back Moth and Rusty Dot Pearl recorded.

Great Reed Warbler

Great Reed Warbler - Weston Sewage Works

After two weeks of tweeting from China normal service will now resume with migration in Weston.

Warm air once again brings in migrants

Avocet video still from FinePix S4000

Bar-tailed Godwit video still from FinePix S4000

Knot video still from FinePix S4000

Check out the temperatures showing the arrival and departure of the warm air.

1st and 2nd May saw rising temperatures from warm air brought up from the south. Today temperatures have dropped and a reduction in passage was noted. Waders in Sand Bay brought the only noteworthy news: 30 Bar-tailed Godwit (25 past the bay up river), 2 Grey Plover flying past the bay up river, 3 Knot, 5 Avocet, 200 Dunlin, 60 Ringed Plover, 15 Whimbrel, 2 Sanderling, 1 Turnstone and a Common Sandpiper. Whinchat and 8 Wheatear were found on the beach with just a dozen Swift over and 3 flava.

Amazing Swallow passage 1st May

I wasn't phased by the heavy rain at first light thinking that it was ideal conditions for the birds but in reality there were no birds moving in the precipitation. The Down was quiet with only a handful of migrants in the bushes. By mid-morning I decided enough was enough and made my way back to the car. I made one last scan across the fields before packing my stuff in the car and noticed a few Swallows heading north-east towards the Axe Estuary. The total quickly reached 260. I wondered if the birds had been moving all the time but cutting off Brean altogether but once the rain started the passage dried up. I walked to Brean Cove and counted 15 Wheatear so decided to hang around for a bit longer as it seemed there were indeed birds about to turn up. Once the rain cleared  the Swallow passage started again this time very intensely. A bit later on they started moving in two directions; north-east and north-west across the beach and out to sea over Brean Down where at one stage I counted 600 in the air in one sweep of the bins. Tree Pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Goldfinches were also moving as were House Martins and Sand Martins with the Swallows although Swifts were in short supply. Totals for Brean Down this morning: 6,500 Swallow, 8 Tree Pipit, 14 flava wagtail, 1 Arctic Skua, 3 Common Scoter, 450 House Martin, 105 Sand Martin, 60 Swift, 6 Tufted Duck south past fort, 17 Wheatear, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 39 Black-headed Gull in Weston Bay, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit south past fort, 4 Whimbrel, 3 Siskin, 11 Linnet, 136 Goldfinch, 7 Gannet, 17 Ringed Plover and 94 Dunlin on Brean beach.
A warm front had been moving northwards through the night from Central Europe bringing overnight and early morning rain that eventually cleared by mid-morning.