Tuesday April 9

I like to think that sometimes birders get a sixth sense of what good conditions look like. Last night was gloomy and overcast with thunder in the air, and this morning the dull conditions persisted, while the wind remained in the east. The only thing mitigating against the promise of rare birds was the time of year. Two weeks too early?

As luck would have it I had booked the day off to accompany Lyn on a routine hospital appointment, so after lunch I was able to get to the patch to see what was happening.

I parked at the church, and quickly noticed a pair of Greenfinches, the male singing well. This species seemed to have crashed in numbers here this year so I was pleased that at least one pair is likely to be breeding.

Greenfinch

Down at the former pool I discovered another birder. I hadn't seen Jan for a couple of years, so it was nice to catch up. She had been all around the main fields hoping to find a Wheatear, but had drawn a blank. I offered to show her which tree the Little Owl normally sat in, so we went there. We failed to see it. However a scan of the flash field revealed a new bird for the year, a wader I had failed to see last year. A Black-tailed Godwit. I took a quick photo before the bird disappeared for an agonising ten minutes. Happily we relocated it in the long grass between the two flashes.

Black-tailed Godwit

Also present were 21 Teal, about a dozen Lapwings, four Little Ringed Plovers, four Snipe, and a pair of Redshank. A Swallow flew over. Life felt good. Jan had to leave and I set off on a circuit of the field. I returned to find a Little Egret and a Green Sandpiper had appeared, while the Black-tailed Godwit was now on the furthest flash.

I headed back up the slope and was briefly distracted by an extremely frisky creche of lambs.

Back at the road a familiar shape on wires above the road told me that the Swallow was a local bird back on territory for another season.

Swallow

I resisted the urge to skip back to the car.