First migrants of spring, but are they coming or going

sun 9th march 2014                                 early morning                              mid section         

warm and sunny 1st spring morning

On arrival at the top of the Barleyfield I could hear the chiff - chaff song of a chiffchaff coming from the birch plantation, but is this a very early spring migrant or one of the growing number of British wintering chiffchaffs on its way to Northern Europe. If its the former its 5 to 10 days earlier that usual, another Chiffchaff was singing on the western border of the Barleyfield near the old oak tree, of note there was one at Belvide Reservoir yesterday and it will be interesting to see if Angus or Ian have any today.

 At last the muddy paths seem to be drying out.

Other birds of note included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the local pair of Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, 8+ Redwing, 2 Siskin, a bright male Lesser Redpoll, the Coot is still present just south of Tettenhall Rd, the usual singing birds Wren,Dunnock,Robin,Chaffinch and Blue / Great Tits,