April

So on comes April, my favourite month of the year! This is the month that it all kicks off, summer visitors start trickling in (they already are this year) then as the month goes on new birds are arriving daily, some stopping briefly others not at all. This is THE month for raptors and 'broad-wings' especially on those warm, thermal filled days and is the best chance in spring to get some out of place birds turning up...but... it usually starts fairly quietly, and so it was today!
A walk up the track this morning produced 6 Shelduck, 120 Golden Plover, and in with a small feeding flock of Chaffinch, Linnet and Meadow Pipit a fine male Brambling sporting a scaley grey and balck head and orange wing coverts along with its distinctive white rump in flight.
From the garden the strong westerly wind and occational heavy showers broke up the observations somewhat but did note a Great spotted woodpecker flying high west over the fields and a lone Swallow this evening heading north. Number 58 for the garden year list.