Tuesday 4 May 2010

One swift

A cancelled appointment and the warm weather took me to the River Yarrow at Eccleston this morning after news of whimbrel close to where I'd seen them last year. Whimbrel are only in our area for a few weeks as they move northwards to their breeding grounds (which include Scotland but mostly the subarctic regions). This morning there were 24 feeding amongst the lengthening grass. (If anyone wants to email me a photo to use for this post, please do.)

With the return of the whitethroats, which were singing everywhere, 4 swallows, a displaying lapwing, singing yellowhammers, burbling curlew and my first sighting of a swift this year, I feel that spring has finally established herself. Don't know what's happened to the sand martin though; the sand cliffs remain empty for now....

3 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

we have a good number of swallows where i work now, I'm waiting for our swifts though, they usually arrive between 4 and 10 May.

Mistlethrush said...

We had two swifts over our house this lunchtime.Good luck with your swift box this year.

Caroline Gill said...

Mistlethrush, you might like to read my interview with Juliet (CGP) about her new book... here.

from the field book

from the field book
An inspiring gift for anyone who enjoys watching nature.