0545hrs-0700hrs.
Had the following Chiffs singing whilst on my travels: Green, Storm and Woody. I know Swifts have been coming through for some days now, but I today had my first going North over Clawthorpe Hall. Also similar to reports yesterday, I have had several parties of both Swallow and Martins heading North this morning and it looks very much like there could be yet another deluge today.
0800-0915hrs
Had a walk across Tarn Lane towards Cinderbarrow and then across Hilderstone towards Moss Lane, and back to Burton via Drovers Way. I just thought I would try and check out these Swallows to get some idea of their numbers. The winds have gone strong yet again and I thought perhaps better to stick on the more flatter side of Burton. I was mobile all the time and still managed to get over 50 Swallows all going North, most of them were in pairs and fours, but did have one party of 11 which came over Hanging Hill and Drovers Way. Probably if I had have been counting from one spot, I would have been able to double or treble this count. Because of the strong winds some of the birds where going close to the ground and you only got glimpses of them when then gained altitude to go over the field hedgerows. Its quite obvious the birds are moving on a broad front and a little difficult to suggest any particular "highway corridors", but perhaps the best (if any)where birds corridors which seemed to line up with the Canal, or the nearby sides to the Motorway.
Also a new Chiffchaff to record, singing from within the woodland edges just behind Hilderstone Farm.