Saturday 14 April 2012

Dipping and Gripping

14th April - weekends are not great for me getting to the patch much, but regular Alan S keeps me updated on any good birds that he sees.  Today at 13:38, I received a text to say that an Osprey had just gone through.  I was in the garden at the time and spent a few minutes watching the sky to see if it might pass through my air space - I have seen a couple in the past 2 years, but both in August, so know they use the valley as a migration route on occasion.  When I found out that the bird appeared to have had a fishing attempt and was seen hovering, I decided to make a quick trip to the pit to see if it might return.  Inevitably it didn't!  However, whilst on site, I noticed that there were a lot of hirundines flying fairly high over the southern bank/meadow and whilst watching these, first 1 Swift appeared and then another - these are my earliest ever Swifts and a good week earlier than I normally see them.

I returned home just in time to get another call informing me of 5 Yellow and 1 White Wagtail in the paddock - ah well, they would have to wait for another day.

Finally, at 19:45, yet another text - this time a female Marsh Harrier that had attempted to roost in the spit reed bed, but had been seen off by the local Jackdaws - aagh!

Great birds for Alan et al, but 2 there that I might not see this year.

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