Monday April 21

The weather was back to where it should be today. Sunshine and just a hint of an easterly. Naturally I couldn't resist another visit. Just a quickie I told Lyn. Fortunately she understood what I meant.

Parking by Bannam's Wood I was greeted by a singing Great Tit.

I took its picture just in case there was nothing else to see. I needn't have worried. The walk down to the pool took in the Tawny Owl, while the pools contained 13 Tufted Ducks. The flash was quiet again (two Teals and an LRP), but three Wheatears were again present in the rough field.

One of the Wheatears

I returned to the car, and then decided to drive to Netherstead Farm, just in case. This paid off when after five minutes a Cuckoo started singing somewhere across the fields to the west. Every year I worry that none will return, so its presence is a relief.

It got me thinking about my top five favourite bird songs. I think they would be as follows:

1. Blackbird
2. Cuckoo
3. Curlew
4. Wood Warbler
5. Turtle Dove

Sadly only the top one is guaranteed at Morton Bagot, while numbers four and five are little more than aspirations.

Later this afternoon I took Lyn back to hear the Cuckoo. Needless to say it failed to perform, but at least the Sedge Warbler, which was apparently absent yesterday, was in full voice.