The Nightingale reporting rate is on the way up, right on cue. Always restricted to the southern half of England, Nightingales disappeared from many of their former haunts in the period between the first two BTO breeding atlases (1968-72 and 1988-91), and Bird Atlas 2007-11 is expected to reveal further losses. This week sees the start of a focused Nightingale survey to better understand what is happening to this iconic species - can you help?

The balance of returning Phylloscopus warblers at migration sites on the south coast of England has swung from Chiffchaff to Willow Warbler. An estimated 3,000 'phylloscs' poured through Portland Bird Observatory in Dorset on 31 March, and the day's record-breaking ringing total of 615 birds included a 3:2 ratio of Willow Warbler to Chiffchaff. Here in Thetford, my first Willow Warbler was a day later than last year, appearing on 1 April. Keep an eye on the reporting rate over the next few days!

Although migration might seem to be a little slow getting started this year, the reporting rates for Chiffchaff, Sand Martin and Wheatear are just beginning to pick up, right on cue. Some Chiffchaffs winter in Britain and Ireland, so the first songsters may be wintering birds making the most of warm days in early spring, rather than birds that have just arrived back. Over the next couple of weeks, however, the expected rise in reporting rate will surely be down to returning migrants. Exciting times to be BirdTracking!

Early-returning African migrants like Sand Martin are in the spotlight now, but changes are also afoot with some of our less glamorous migrants. Large numbers of Black-headed Gulls from the Continent winter in Britain and Ireland. Many of these birds will depart soon, whilst our breeders will begin to concentrate at their colonies. These two factors are likely to be responsible for the sharp drop in the reporting rate during March. Look out for Black-headed Gulls that have already attained breeding plumage, like this one photographed in Lincolnshire.