What have you seen

Nothing really startling today but interesting all the same. Lots of Buzzards, and the odd Red Kite, Lapwings, Oystercatchers and our first sighting of a House Martin. In the hedgerows our first BlueBells, clusters of Violets including a patch of white ones, and still plenty of Primroses in bloom.

Set up today at Old Oaks site at Glastonbury. What a lovely site, thefirst cuppa was enjoyed in the company of a pied flycatcher. Quite a surprise, it landed just a few feet away. Hadn't even got the camera out.

See there are Dottrels back in Norfolk, also just read that there is a Pallid Harrier at Winterton on Sea.

It has been a rather wet day here and so I decided to watch the garden birds from the comfort of our conservatory. I did see a Bullfinch but unfortunately it was very camera shy.

Here are some less shy birds.

Nice pics NAS, but what on earth do those Lancashire woodpeckers eat? Brings back memories of that old classic about ants, rubber trees and high hopes.

The weather is not as good as last weeks forecast but dry enough to get out to local nature reserves near Glastonbury.

we had 5 sightings of bittern yesterday probably only 3 birds. Marsh harriers appear to be nesting close to the left side of the Avalon hide at Ham Wall. We had a great display when a second pair got to close, ariel battle took place for about 2 minutes.

Bitterns heard booming all over the marsh 19 males recorded and 4 others at greylake.

 I have yet to see a Marsh Harrier BM. That aerial battle sounds impressive.

After the second day of cleaning a load of bird droppings off the car paintwork, I decided to make some drastic changes. No more suet blocks as they attract the starlings and magpies, just stick with the seed feeders, peanuts and the Birdy-Butter for the woodpecker.

Also I need to removed the starlings favorite perch, our tv aerial, which protrudes over the drive where I park the car. Today I fitted a new aerial in the loft and it works perfectly. Just need to take the old one down now when we get a fine day.

Marsh harriers showing "just up the road ", (well, the M6) at Leighton Moss on Tuesday, Neveramsure. Worth a visit! 😊

For years now we have had a flock of up to 25 starlings around and often the garden was covered with them.  About 3 weeks ago their was a flock of several thousand arrive probably getting ready for migration back to Europe.  After these migrants left I have only seen a single starling around the garden so don't know whether the rest went with the main flock.

We have two good marsh harrier spotting areas.  RSPB Strumpshaw always have a few but NWT Hickling Broad (where they roost) has had as many as 32 at one time.

Suddenly we have been inundated with male blackbirds.  Counted a dozen or more in and around the garden this morning.  Possibly they will be migrating shortly?