No swanning around for me as work is definately getting in the way of birding. The Prestwick Carr list was stagnating a bit until I got out last week and had a close fly by of a Peregrine and a squeeling Water Rail along with Song Thrush in full song and a couple of passing Lesser Black back Gulls. A pair of Coots has returned to Banks Pond joining the Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Oystercatchers and Tufted Ducks as they prepare to breed.
Then yesterday my first singing Chiff Chaff and also Linnets in song flight as my count topped 40 for the first time since the turn of the year. I grabbed a moment last evening for a final look before the torment of the week commenced and was rewarded with my first Sand Martins. Definately a record shot so I enlarged the bird just to check.
That puts the list on 72 with a week of arrivals anticipated although the water has subsided and the chance of good waders may be slim. The Curlew flock remains around 40, down on some years when up to 80 can be expected but more worrying is the total lack of any Lapwing territories despite the good moist ground conditions. Can't explain why this should be so.
Hi Peter, things seem to be hoting up. Saw Bill last night who had seen another big bird last week.
ReplyDeleteHello Peter,
ReplyDeleteIn the week that the horsechestnut tree bust its buds - low and behold the parakeet returned to our Pretswick garden - how does it do that?- amazing. No doubt it will visit us twice daily until the tree is in full leaf. Absolutly amazing!!