Spring?

Spring is slow putting in an appearance but at last we are seeing some signs. Birds are coming back to the cliffs.At last we are seeing some African migrants appearing back on the island. The first Swallow came through on Sunday just I was wondering if I was ever going to see one. Sand Martin and Chiffchaff have also been seen.

This Wheatear was actually singing down on Logans Road

 

 This Black Redstart is an uncommon spring migrant on the island.

More common in Autumn, a flock of Redwing were in the garden for much of the weekend stopping off en-route to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia

 This bedraggled Goldfinch was feeding on the last standing Burdock on the island behind the back door. A Red Kite drifted over the island on Monday.

 

Eiders are just coming onto the land. This is a good sign that they are about to nest.

Much of the island looks bare right now and you'd think that there was nothing for the Rabbits to feed on but they appear to be going strong. Our first baby bunnies were seen this year on the 6th April by visitors. This is the earliest by far in the 3 years I've been out here we've seen youngsters. This little one was probably lost after it's first foray into the outside world. There are suggestions that rabbits have been hit hard by the late winter spell of weather on the mainland.



We've got a few days of windy weather predicted but hopefully the cold temperatures are now behind us.