First sightings of spring migrants at Rutland Water


Species

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Chiffchaff
10/3 10/3 17/3 19/3
24/3
9/3
14/3
Sand Martin
10/3
8/3
17/3
17/3
26/3
23/2
1/3
Swallow
16/3
29/3
3/4
27/3
27/3
26/3
29/3
Yellow wagtail
16/3
27/3
2/4
3/4
30/3
31/3
5/4
Wheatear
21/3
21/3
17/3
21/3
27/3
11/4
24/3
Osprey
23/3
23/3
28/3
22/3
23/3
26/3
26/3
Common Tern
28/3
13/4
3/4
9/4
3/4
10/4
28/3
House Martin
28/3
10/4
2/4
7/4
27/3
6/4
29/3
Little Ringed Plover
29/3
17/3
17/3
23/3
28/3
16/3
26/3
Sedge Warbler
30/3
30/3
9/4
9/4
8/4.
9/4
4/4
Willow Warbler
31/3
27/3
1/4
23/3
28/3
20/3
31/3
Blackcap
29/3
25/3
3/4
23/3
31/3
30/3
31/3
Whitethroat
6/4
16/4
17/4
26/4
16/4
15/4
22/4
Reed Warbler
14/4
17/4
20/4
20/4
22/4
22/4
21/4
Cuckoo
16/4
15/4
9/4
17/4
16/4
14/4
16/4
Hobby
18/4
21/4
18/4
20/4
15/4
18/4
22/4
Grasshopper Warbler
18/4
14/4
17/4
10/4
25/4
16/4
13/4
Nightingale
20/4
15/4
17/4
19/4
18/4
21/4
23/4
Garden Warbler
20/4
18/4
15/4
15/4
17/4
21/4
23/4
Turtle Dove
22/4
25/4
1/5
1/5
4/5
24/4
29/4
Lesser Whitethroat
22/4
19/4
24/4
19/4
23/4
12/4
22/4
Swift
25/4
19/4
2/4
23/4
16/4
19/4
18/4
Spotted Flycatcher
4/5
8/5
13/5
15/5
5/5
 
3/5
Redstart
5/5
1/4
27/4
20/4
9/4
10/4

Black Tern
8/5
15/4
18/4
25/4
22/4
22/4
21/4
Tree Pipit
16/3
22/4
x
14/4
18/4
 

Arctic Tern




18/4
11/4
15/4

There is a summary of county records of earliest spring migrants on the excellent website of the Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society. Most years there is a page recording spring arrivals in the two counties, together with the comparable dates last year, the ten year average and the earliest ever arrival. ( www.lros.org.uk/migrants.htm). For the national picture please see the BTO's Birdtrack website - and submit your sightings there too!