Each spring the timing of the annual migration of Summer Visitors to our shores tends to be affected by weather conditions and, in particular, the strength and direction of the winds.  As a result strong and continuous northern winds for the month of April will result in a very large number of birds situated on or near the North Coast of France whilst awaiting a change in the wind direction so that they may fly accross the Channel to this country.

However, from the records at Bough Beech it appears that for the first arrival of some species there is an almost monotonous regularity in their arrival.

The 2009, 2010 and 2011 figures are shown below.  For a comparison between 2006 and earlier years please click here.

For a comparison between 2006 and 2010 please click here.

SPECIES

2009

2010

2011

HOBBY

First Date	22nd April	18th April	25th April
Last Date	1st October	6th October	2nd October

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER

First Date	5th April	24th April	8th April
Last Date	29th August	12th September	22nd September

REDSHANK

First Date	1st May	29th March	1st May
Last Date	11th October	15th September	27th July

GREENSHANK

First Date	15th May	19th April	1st May
Last Date	3rd November	28th September	7th October

COMMON TERN

First Date	14th April	25th March	11th April
Last Date	24th September	26th September	22nd September

TURTLE DOVE

First Date	14th May	25th May	7th May
Last Date	11th August	2nd September	24th October

CUCKOO

First Date	10th April	17th April	11th March
Last Date	25th June	13th June	13th June

SWIFT

First Date	29th April	22nd April	29th April
Last Date	3rd October	16th September	8th September

SAND MARTIN

First Date	12th March	22nd March	9th March
Last Date	7th October	6th October	10th October

SWALLOW

First Date	26th March	17th March	25th March
Last Date	9th October	28th October	24th Oct

HOUSE MARTIN

First Date	27th March	7th April	30th March
Last Date	11th October	17th October	23rd October

YELLOW WAGTAIL

First Date	17th April	17th April	5th May
Last Date	28th September	14th October	1st October

NIGHTINGALE

First Date	8th April	28th April	12th April
Last Date	3rd August	29th July	18th July

REED WARBLER

First Date	8th April	18th April	16th April
Last Date	11th September	2nd September	22nd September

LESSER WHITETHROAT

First Date	11th April	18th April	14th April
Last Date	14th October	5th September	29th September

WHITETHROAT

First Date	10th April	20th April	8th April
Last Date	14th September	12th September	17th September

GARDEN WARBLER

First Date	10th April	20th April	9th April
Last Date	21st August	4th August	12th August

 

WILLOW WARBLER

First Date	8th April	3rd April	5th April
Last Date	30th August	3rd September	3rd September

Species such as Green Sandpiper, Blackcap and Chiffchaff which often over winter have been omitted from the list.