Today I found a couple of hours to myself and after a quick call to Jim we were heading to KGV for a full two hour circuit. It was grey, cold and windy but we headed out along the east bank spotting first the wintering Greater Scaup on south basin before finding the Smew and Slavonian Grebe that's wintered only to be joined by a second bird a few days ago. The birds have almost completed their moult into breeding plumage so could well be heading north in the coming days. Two Raven flew over calling heading into the distance in a south easterly direction. A couple of Red Kites were noted along with the usual suspects. We spotted six Sand Martin and then our first Swallows of the year when two birds flew low over north basin to join the Sand Martins hawking the NE corner. A rough count of around 200 Tufted Ducks remain, 20+ Gadwall, 4 Teal, Mallards and I think only 6 Goldeneye now. Pied and Grey Wagtail were noted along with numerous Wren, Chiffchaff and Cettis warbler all announcing territory as we walked around the track. Raven were on the nest but I can't be sure they were the same two birds that headed off south earlier. A male Black Redstart was the stand out bird of the return along the west bank and we also noted Blackcap, Goldfinch and Greenfinch in the expected areas.
The industrial estate has many Lesser-black backed and Herring Gulls making use of the rooftops.
A decent visit where we saw all the expected birds and the bonus of our first Swallows although it didn't feel much like summer.
48 species seen today and the year list nudged along to 170
