First Proper Spring Migrants

My first ten Sand Martins of the year flew north over the A3052 at Colyford yesterday morning, following the River Axe, at about 9am. Three days earlier than my previous earliest on patch (9th March 2024) but not really a surprise as there's been a fairly widespread earlier than usual arrival into the UK this year.

I thought they zipped straight through, however about an hour and a half later there were nine in a similar area feeding, so presumably they mostly came back.

If it wasn't for the Sand Martins I would have had to officially rename this blog as 'Gulls of the Axe' as yesterdays start bird would have been another gull!

Yellow-legged Gulls are a bit odd in that between July and October almost all Axe records of this species relate to first-calendar year birds.  But from October through to the following July, young birds make up the smallest percentage of Yellow-legged Gull records! Explain that?

So I was really pleased to clap eyes on a striking first-winter Yellow-legged Gull with the gulls north of Coronation Corner mid morning yesterday...

Fairly dark looking wings thanks to black tertials and dark greater coverts, long winged too, nice bright pink legs, pale head with a striking eye mask

 But if in doubt, wait til it flaps...

Restricted pale on inner primaries - super! Nice black greater covert bar too, similar to a Casp

Later in the day, I saw what I presumed was the lingering 'dodgy looking' third-winter Yellow-legged Gull also north of Coronation Corner.  And I read on WhatsApp that Gav had a second-winter even later in the afternoon, making it a hat-trick!  

Small gull numbers have dropped right off now, of all three of the usual species (Black-headed, Common and Med). Although there's still just enough Common Gulls to give me something to sift through ever hoping for a Ring-billed!

Thanks for reading.