First a confession, I sinned and left the patch for some easy birds down at Ashleworth , Redstart , Little Egrets , and species that are hard to get on the patch such as Willow Warbler were all easy picking s.
So since Sunday there have been variations of the usual birds on a daily basis , highlites being a very vocal Cuckoo which has called for the last 4 days and a flyover Red Kite which headed north east , maybe a late migrant .
A Curlew has been calling again from the river meadows again and most migrants are now busy raising their young . House Martins seem to be here in about the same numbers as last year, although we seem to have lost our Yellow Wagtails ,but I may have seen a Spotted Flycatcher earlier from the car as I drove into the driveway , it was a brief view so no definite id as yet ,but here "s hoping .
There are 2 pairs of Moorhens breeding on the patch this year ,a first for all the years I have lived here. There was also a male Yellowhammer present ,a good summer record. For my Bullfinch fan , I have managed to see at least three including a rather buff female .
There are plenty of Whitethroats this year and I am hoping it will be a bumper year for them .Blackcaps are faring well as are Chiffchaffs.
A proper update will follow on Saturday morning
