It does not a summer make

25th March - seeing the first Swallow of the year is one of those defining moments of the year that I always look forward to.  Well for me, it was today.  I hadn't seen any hirundines this year, even though the first Sand Martins were reported 9 or 10 days ago.  I was hopeful that the damp weather might have forced some down over the lake, but on arrival mid-morning, it was apparent that this had not happened.  Scanning from the west bank, there did not appear to be anything new in.  Yesterday evening's Oystercatcher was not here and there was no sign of the 3 Garganey.  However, after a little while, I noticed a hirundine fairly high up over the eastern side of the lake.  Sand Martin surely, and through bins this is what it proved to be.  However, just behind it was my first Swallow and then 3 more Sand Martins - excellent!  They remained over the lake for about half an hour, always quite high up, so there must have been insect activity up there - there were certainly lots of midges at my level!  But then departed.

I decided to walk the circuit today to see if there had been any other arrivals.  My tally was a male Blackcap in full song in the SE corner and 8 Chiffchaffs, 7 singing males and a silent bird.  The 3 Garganey were roosting on the NE side of the spit, so still present, the pair for their 26th day.  A Little Egret was in its favourite flooded paddock on the eastern side.

There were lots of signs of breeding activity - a pair of Kingfishers prospecting a new nest site; no less than 4 pairs of GC Grebe in display mode, 1 pair copulating; numerous groups of male Shoveler flying around chasing females; plenty of song and nesting material being gathered; young heron chicks squawking in the nest; a female Mallard with a now depleted 7 ducklings (there were 11 I think).  I do like Spring!

A quick check of Pump Lane found a smart male Wheatear in the northern paddocks plus a couple of Meadow Pipits.  The vine fields held flocks of Linnet and Goldfinch plus a few singing Skylarks.  So despite the drizzle and the cool easterly breeze, not a bad couple of hours.