Agreed Mike re its limitations, Merlin serves as a back-up rather than a primary resource to our experience as birders. As an example I was on Exmoor recently and watching a Stonechat singing its “scratchy song” which Merlin identified as a Whinchat; a friend of mine has also been picking up Tawny Pipit regularly in the New Forest!

Merlin is a useful tool, but isn’t set up to identify other sounds, so assumes that you know it’s a bird & that your microphone is of sufficient quality to record it correctly (mobile phones don’t necessarily reproduce pitches outside of our normal hearing - i.e. high and low frequencies)

Painted Lady’s been around our garden in Ilminster for the last 2-3 weeks.

Did search to see if these was anything ‘official’ re numbers but couldn’t find anything.

It is earlier than we’ve seen them in previous years.

Interesting but also can be frustrating to use Merlin. I have had a Redstart shown on Merlin along Heathway Lane in Westhay but not seen or heard, then recently a Spotted Flycatcher which I did see. Meanwhile one of the first records on Merlin at Holford this week was Hawfinch near the car park!. Again was it really there or just an anomaly? I,m sure there are plenty of birds we all miss (especially as our hearing deteriorates). Slightly off topic but is there any “official” estimates of the numbers of Painted Lady butterflies around. I am seeing 10 per day even in my garden.

On Catcott yesterday, heard an unfamiliar bird singing near to reed warblers. Merlin identified it as a Great Reed Warbler.  Listening to recordings at home I’m convinced Merlin was correct.

Been an astonishing spring for firsts at Catcott. My first Wood Lark, seen and heard. Marsh warbler and Tree Sparrow heard.

Huge number of Whitethroat this year. I hear two or three every day. It’s not be like that before and I’ve been walking there for over 20 years.