Windy Walk

Waking early and noticing the sunny weather and blue skies I decided a morning walk was in order, Margie opted for the stay in bed option so I was on my own, I don't know it's not like the bird watching is going to do itself!!! So I go out the front door and notice a Sparrow fly up off the floor onto the bird box we put up for them last year, now we know they have been using it and we can hear the youngsters in it but have not been able to get a pic the sneaky buggers always are in an out before I can focus, but getting out early has caught them off guard and bingo got em!! This caps a good few days in the garden with a Frog in our wildlife pond and a Chaffinch in the Rowan ( now I know a Chaffinch ain't the rarest but when all you get is Sparrows and Starlings you take what you can get!!)We have also had a few Goldfinch and a Jay recently as well!!

Jay in the Garden

Caught in the act Sparrow at nest box

In we go!!

Frog in the pond hurrah!!

 Flushed with success I headed up the road, nice to see a family of Greenfinch in our street often hear them but we rarely get them on the feeders, didn't take a pic as I'm reticent of taking pics in residential areas although the levels of reluctance is directly proportional to the rarity of the bird!! As I got to the main road a Buzzard was riding the wind ,very high but I got a record shot against the blue sky . I had decided to head down Bullfinch Lane with the idea to see how the Yellowhammers I saw a few weeks back were faring, at the top of the lane it was all Blue Tits baby Robins and Goldfinches!

Buzzard flying high

Baby Robin

Blue Tit

Goldfinch

But as the countryside opened up i began to see more farmland type birds, a Mistle Thrush, seem to be doing ok around here seeing them on nearly every walk, Pied Wagtails, and the usual Corvids , another Buzzard hovered in the wind and I heard Skylarks singing although with much less enthusiasm than a few weeks ago

Common Buzzard

Skylark

Skylark having a bit of a Singsong

Pied Wagtail

Skylark

Skylark

I reached the Yellowhammer spot that had been most productive on previous visits, I wasn't that hopeful, it was what Winnie the Pooh would call a Kin Blustery Day!! I had heard various chirps and cheeps as i walked along the Hedgerow and a few snatches of Yellowhammer song although it was more "A little bit of Bread" without the "and no cheese" I was doing my usual becoming one with the gatepost although i'm not really thin enough to meld in completely, but after 5 mins or so a couple of birds appeared on the path, a Male and I think Female (rather than Juvenile but happy to be contradicted) Yellowhammer!! I started to get a few pics the Female disappeared , but the Male posed on the fence and then popped up onto the fence post itself, think this may be the same bird as previously as that was a right little poser as well!!

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer (Female or maybe Juv?)

Little Poser

Well quite chuffed ,mission accomplished, I headed home another baby Robin, a Kestrel that was never quite in the right place, another Buzzard and more Goldfinch the highlights from the walk back, Pics below, a nice blowy walk in bright sunshine!!