I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year at my local patch of Stanwick Lakes this morning. It seems to have been a long time coming since the first Chiffchaff was three weeks ago! I think of my first Willow Warbler as being usually a week to 10 days after the first singing Chiffchaff. That’s what I thought until I checked it on my Birdtrack records and found that a 3-week lag is on the long side, but not exceptional. I am a fan of Birdtrack – have I mentioned it before?
My First Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs at Stanwick Lakes
Year | Chiffchaff | Willow Warbler | Days apart |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | 25 March | 25 March | 0 |
2006 | 25 March | 7 April | 13 |
2007 | 10 March | abroad | |
2008 | 21 March | abroad | |
2009 | 14 March | 4 April | 21 |
2010 | 20 March | 2 April | 13 |
2011 | 19 March | 2 April | 14 |
2012 | 24 March | 31 March | 7 |
2013 | abroad | abroad | |
2014 | 11 March | 2 April | 22 |
2015 | 13 March | 11 April | 29 |
2016 | abroad | abroad | |
2017 | 11 March | 2 April | 22 |
2018 | 16 March | 6 April | 21 |
Now, obviously I don’t live at Stanwick Lakes – although I know a man who almost seems to – and I don’t visit every day. But at this time of year (especially at this time of year) I usually do visit several times a week unless I am out of the country and so (having checked my Birdtrack data a bit) these seem reasonably comparable data from year to year. And they are quite fun.
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Only just found the first Chiffchaff, Wheatear and Little Ringed Plovers locally here in mid Wales.
Just heard one lonely Chiff Chaff in Forest of Dean on Monday – it is normally dripping with them ( and WW) by now
I haven’t found any at Irthlingborough yet. (not jealous, honestly).
I had my first Willow Warblers of the year in South Yorkshire today, and my first Yellow Wagtail.
Tim – and they say it’s tough oop north? I used to dream of yellow wagtail…
My first Wiilow Warbler today. Rother Valley Country Park, near Sheffield. Also first Swallow.