Morning walk 03.04.10

Pleasant morning walk that began in sunshine and finished in drizzle. 31 species of birds recorded with the first blackcaps of the year. 1 singing in Ford Hill whilst another was heard and observed in Millennium Wood. Other migrants were 4 chiffchaffs, whilst other good birds were 3 bullfinches at Millennium Wood, 1 treecreeper in Muggin's Wood and a solitary grey partridge in fields near Brick Kiln Hill.

Photos show a singing yellowhammer and dog mercury, a woodland plant that prefers deciduous copses where it thrives in the shady ground. One of a few British plants with green flowers. Still no butterflies to report. One warm sunny day should rectify this.

A quick view of 3 soaring birds, high, had me thinking and hoping for a migratory bird of prey, but it became obvious that unfortunately they were 2 lesser black backed gulls soaring with a buzzard. 3 of the latter were seen in total over the 2 hour observation period.