I saw a Blackbird the other day

A much better week considering the weather.  Some dry days at last...and a dry weekend.  Not that that was what was forecast for today, Sunday.  Showers said the Met Office man, which is why I didnt turn up on site till 10am.  The combination of a late night and the forecast told me to stay in bed, so I was quite surprised to see the sun peeking through a gap in the curtains when I woke....

1000 - 1200 WSW-SSW F1 picking up to F3, 60% cloud cover increasing to 95%, some sun, warm but getting cooler

Arriving at the village in sunshine was rather nice.  Goldfinch, Starling, House Sparrow, Collared Dove and Blue Tit welcomed me.  A Blackbird alarmed and a Dunnock sang brightly before giving flighty glimpses.
A Song Thrush sat out on one of the posts in the orchard seemingly enjoying the sunshine.  Two Robins chased around near the house.  A male Pied Wagtail flew across and a few Chaffinch were calling and flitting around.  A Kestrel glided silently and swerved among the rows of trees looking for its mid morning snack.
A solitary Fieldfare called.  The only one I heard and I saw none.
A few Crows, Woodpigeons and 2 Magpies completed my trip across the orchard.
I could hear Skylark already and counted 4 songsters today.
The Mute Swans were in a field off to the west and from where I was couldnt count them initially.  This was solved when they took off a minute later.  20.  They landed on the pit directly in front of me, where the count was now 21.  And a single off to the east side of the fields.  14 more on the next gravel pit.  I found another 8, so total 40.
There were 16 Black Headed Gull in the field with a further 143 on the pits.  159.  Birds of the day, 3 Mediterranean Gulls were with them.
43 Tufted Duck, 23 Coot, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Moorhen, 8 Mallard, 3 Pochard, 11 Cormorant, 13 Greylag Geese, 2 Goldeneye (1f 1m).

The flooding is gradually receding, here is Reed/Sedge Warbler alley

....and here is the causeway between two of the pits.  Not passable yet but some of it viewable...!

...and heres the path/road way round to the bridge and the largest gravel pit...definitely less water here...

Whilst at the pits a few Wren sang and some Green Woodpeckers were busy finding food.  Mostly it was quiet.

Colts Foot

The quiet mood continued on the way back but was interrupted by Greenfinch in the village.

Oh yes...that Blackbird....when I was in Tunbridge Wells a couple of days ago, Broadwater Down area, I came across a female Blackbird collecting nesting material.  First I have seen this year.  By now I have usually heard or seen reports of this kind or birds with chicks or eggs.  There must be many around with the mild weather we have had and the availablity of food.,