A couple of outings locally before heading to Edinburgh for a few days. On Monday, I started at Canons, where the groundhog day cycle still felt as though it were in effect. A
Siskin, a
Canada Goose, a
Lesser Black-backed Gull, a
Chiffchaff, eight
Meadow Pipits... A cuppa with Steve G before joining him on a tour of Priest Hill, a lovely little site, was a nice way to spend the afternoon. The birding potential of Priest Hill is stark but only another
Siskin and a few
Meadow Pipits were on offer for us that afternoon.
The wind having prevented me from getting the nets up at Beddington for what feels like ages, I took the chance to fit in a ringing session there on Tuesday morning before heading to Canons to lead a walk for Legal & General staff. It was an improved haul on recent sessions, with three
Reed Buntings and a
Chiffchaff being caught. I expect the 'volume' will come for this site when the Reed and Sedge Warblers arrive. On the way back to the car, a cracking male
Wheatear flicked across my path. My first of the spring, although I wasn't really fit to fully appreciate it, carrying two boxes of kit and sweating like a pig while racing back to the car, smelling of sewage. The L&G walk paid off with a
Red Kite drifting west being my first for a little while plus views of one of
Little Owl pairs.
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| male Wheatear at Beddington |
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| male Reed Bunting at Beddington |
