Friday March 17th

Kingsbury WP
The first Swallow in our area accompanied 32 Sand Martins at Bodymoor Heath Water today and 30 plus Sand Martins were still there later this evening. Little Ringed and Ringed Plover were in the area (Alan Dean, Matthew Pollock). Four Oystercatchers were also in the area.

Middleton RSPB
Warks: Great White Egret in the southern meadow. Also Jack Snipe, 12 Common Snipe and LRP there (RSPB)
Staffs: Three Avocets have returned  from their usual early spring forays around the Region and were back on Jubilee Wetlands with a drake and then a pair of Garganeys (drake seen yesterday. Thanks for report, Gill Lovatt). Also a Ruff (RSPB).

Shustoke Res
Three Sand Martins a Pochard and eight Redpolls (Pete Forbes).

It takes a colder, windier day to turn up a few birds after the warm, sunny weather and today was a pretty typical late-March day. First Swallow date is early again. In 2016, Shustoke Res and Brandon Marsh recorded one on March 24th and then no more until 27th, with singles at Alvecote, Brandon and RSPB Middleton.