A First!

No! not a lifer, not even a rare bird, but one of which I will have seen literally thousands in my 40 or so years of birdwatching.

On Monday I saw my first April Swift. I know that several local sightings have preceded this. I wasn't even birdwatching as such, just sitting in the car park at Cramlington High School Learning Village.

I've not been out birdwatching since my last post, but I always keep an eye on our garden. We continue to have several male Blackbirds in and around us. I'm sure that there are many more than last year at this time.

I've watched carefully to try and separate those Blackbirds that are collecting food and those that are just feeding. Only one of our garden regulars seems to be collecting food and occasionally being accompanied by a female (they're nesting in out neighbours hedge). The level of tolerance between the males is deteriorating gradually as the breeding season gets into full swing. The local female, however, continues her dominance of the patch and thunders into the garden to chase off all but her mate.

A pair of Goldfinches visit the niger seed every day and Greenfinches are always around and after the sunflower seeds. Still no sign of life in our bird box, but we get regular visitations to the feeding station from Blue, Coal and Great Tits. We have one male Great Tit that has a rather washed out colouration. Not pale enough to be an obvious 'istic of some sort; very interesting.

Having been somewhat sedentary over the last month, I must try and get out this coming weekend and catch up with some of the new arrivals.