A glorious morning, with hundreds of Swallows and House Martins zooming past, wonderful views of many as they sweep close by, allowing the white rump of the House Martin and the red mark of the adult Swallow to be seen.
This morning also saw patches of the Blackthorn, Bramble and Elder scrub dripping with small birds, one area included 6 Blackcaps, both the black capped male and the chestnut capped female and of the youngsters. The grey bodies quite conspicuous as they flitted through the branches.
In the same patch of scrub a yellow Willow Warbler was perched while a Chiffchaff landed nearby, for once the chance to compare these two very similar looking warblers.
Flying overhead a flock of Chaffinches, the white wings bars flashing in the sunlight, while my eye was then drawn down to see a flashing white rump of a Wheatear as it landed in the thin twigs of the Wild Clematis, this very smart sandy coloured bird perched erect.
A Red Admiral butterfly stood on the large leaves of the Black Bryony and basked in the warm sunshine, another seen in flight as was a Small White butterfly.
Last night’s moth trap brought an interesting variety of insects to the light including a large black Sexton beetle Necrodes Littoralis, a metallic green beetle – yet to be identified and moths including Brimstone, August Thorn, Lunar Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character.
More birds to be sees were a group of Stonechats on the Gorse, the orange chest more noticeable than any other features, while in the meadow amongst the recently cut grass was a flock of Meadow Pipits, with a few Skylarks as well, another good chance to compare species.
Overhead the sound of Pied Wagtails drew my eyes upward to see these long-tailed birds looping up and down, while a Kestrel was hovering, his head perfectly still as he searched for movement below.
My highlight however, on such a gorgeous early patrol, was probably a Reed Bunting in the Wayfaring Tree, as I don’t often get to see them here.