Hi everyone. Well, I'm afraid my well laid plans and intentions have not really produced. My "local routes" provided a good selection of local birds at the very beginning, but since then have failed to deliver any nice surprises. I have to say that I've really enjoyed listening properly to Blackbird and Song Thrush songsters as, normally, I'd probably only utilise such wonderful outpourings as evidence of presence within a survey of some kind I was undertaking. Yes, I agree , shame on me !
By far the most exciting discovery has been a local Greenfinch on territory. It started off a bit creaky ( if not bronchial ) but has since developed and is now giving daily doses of its rasping calls coupled with a few melodious notes . This is great news in a way as even the presence of an odd bird or flyover within the three/four years I've been here has been has been decidedly thin !
Eyes to the skies from now on in the hope of intercepting something of note. Fairly soon I hope to record the first House Martins that breed in the nearby estate and, fingers crossed, even the lone pair of Common Swift that bred next door last year.! In the meantime I'll continue to flog the "exercise routes" and turn thoughts to what will eventually prove to be a completely relaxed set of circumstances and complete mobile freedom. At the same time I 'll also work hard at suppressing interest in the current system of north east and easterly winds, circumstances that are avidly prayed for usually but now, of all times, impose themselves when we're unable to glean any benefit from the bird passage they might influence. And then I think of the people who might also have had a similar interest, but who, tragically , have succumbed to the effects of the epidemic which confronts us. Time to turn to the uplifting notes of our nearby thrushes and to feel thankful !