Friday Fliers

Friday's allow a little latitude when it comes to clocking out and with the sun shining it was too much to resist, so I came home, pulled my wellies on and went straight out.

Walking round the church and riverine woods revealed more than 20 chiffchaff. A staggering number really and I expect this number to fall by the time the birds have settled down to nest.

In a hawthorn tree in one of the surrounding fields I spotted about a dozen swallow resting up. By the time I pulled out my camera they were off again and hawking around the treetops, using the updraft from the riverbank to hang in the air snatching flies.

My nest boxes remain unused; I suppose it's still a bit early but I am surprised that not even a blue tit has shown interest in them in the month or so they've been up.

There were no signs of willow warbler and my ambitions of pied flycatcher and redstart will begin in a few weeks yet. So, I thought I'd chance the flooded field that marks the very northern point on my 3sqkm patch.

It was worth stopping off; I counted 24+ curlew, 12+ lapwing (including 3 on nests), 12+ teal, the first snipe I've seen this year that didn't see me first, and redshank. But top of the pile were a pair of little ringed plover, my first seen locally and a tick for this years patchwork challenge.