....and is if by magic....

...Spring arrives).....hooray....ok, im a couple of days behind others with this news...but I spent all day Saturday and half of Sunday in the garden repairing mist nets with the other half of Sunday, the morning, bird ringing near Seven Sisters Country Park.  Caught a couple of Chiffchaff and saw my first Blackcap of the year.
Meanwhile back here at the pits.....overcast though bright, a slight, F1, Easterly....so much warmer...

SWALLOW

...and I must say the day brightened considerably and it was so much warmer and better when this fabulous bird swooped around the pits for a few minutes before disappearing...as much as I love Winter, when March arrives all thoughts turn to the migrants making their way north to our shores.  I love the jitteriness and excitement that I feel.  People who never look at birds must be envious of me - and my elation of seeing the 'first' of the Spring/Summer season....well...I may  be getting a bit carried away there, they probably dont feel envious of me because they never look up whatever the weather or time of year and their first Swallow gets nothing more than a cursory glance and little more thought.....and now its April and the birds are running late but whatever, they will come, theres no stopping them....come on Nightingale and Cuckoo, cheer my days with amazing merry Summer sounds....

I managed to get out a little earlier, starting around 0745 with House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Collared Dove and Dunnock all calling whilst I was booting up.  I have to say how nice it was not having to get out the big coat....though a woolly hat and gloves still required till later when the hazy sunshine attempted a glimpse....
Off across the orchard with Blackbird and Chaffinch calling and singing, 3 Herring Gull flew over heading north and a Wren sang.  The Starlings were whistling from the rooftops back in the village and a solitary Fieldfare called.
Passing the house in the orchard a Robin was singing and a Woodpigeon posed on the garage.  Jackdaws distantly 'jacked' and a Green Woodpecker yaffled on a now regular basis.  A Crow croaked by.
Reaching the northern boundary of the orchard a Yellowhammer decided it was time to put in an appearance and tell me his wisdom about'a  little bread'....though no cheese accompinement.  Nice to see one again and I am wondering where they have been for a few weeks, driven off somewhere distant no doubt by the cold Spring that was colder than Winter!
Across the fields the now familiar Skylark song was struck when I reached half way, perhaps they have decided to nest in the northern part of the field rather than the southern side?
3 Mute Swans flew from the pits and headed south followed by 2 Mallard.
Reaching the pits some Blue Tits passed by and Reed Buntings could be heard.  A Great Spotted Woodpecker drilled merrily.
At the pits: 45 Coot, 43 Tufted Duck, 36 Shoveller, 4 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 3 Moorhen, 3 Canada Geese, 8 Mallard, 3 Mute Swan, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 16 Cormorant, 1 Gadwall, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Pochard, 70+ Black Headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black Back Gull, 3 Snipe, 5 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Kingfisher.....and that Swallow....how fabulous.  Aristotle has a lot to answer for, what a boring old curmudgeon...one swallow does not a summer make nor one fine day....as that bloke says on the Royals....my @rse.....
My first singing Chiffchaff of the year along the northern side of the gravel pits, though I then had at least two more singing and a couple more seen but not heard...so probably around 5 or 6 in total though im sure theres more.
Herring Gulls continued to head north quite high up.
Several more Yellowhammers were found around the pits, singing about bread but still no cheese.  A couple of Jays flew by and a Song Thrush briefly repeated-repeated, again-again...and gave up.
Whilst at the pits I saw a floack of around 40+ Fieldfare in the distance over the orchards south of the pits.
The return journey across the fields was further brightened by the whole shopping list from the first Yellowhammer I saw this morning...bread and cheese.
I then found some of the Fieldfares in the orchard and reaching the southern side of the orchard a few more were scattered in the rows of trees.  A brief look turned up 5 Redwing.
Return to the car 1040.