Lingering Swallow

A couple of Swallows hawking around the escarpment at Alciston yesterday, alongside some other late-autumn migrants, was less surprising than the lone bird sitting on wires at Place Farm this morning. It was in exactly the spot where the summering birds like to sit, but presumably this was a late migrant, just stopping by.
Nearby a [...]

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Firle on the levels

Back up to the Plantation again this morning, and one or more Marsh Tits again in evidence, this time with a mixed flock of LT, Blue and Great Tits and perhaps 10 Chiffchaffs, in scrub just to the east of the woodland.
In the plantation itself, Treecreeper singing and GS Woodpecker calling, while on the big [...]

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24 April 2009

A beautiful evening, although the wind was starting to get up ahead of the showers that arrived overnight.
A bike-ride around Firle just before dusk failed to glean any Nightingales or Turtle Doves, but there was a group of around 20 Swallows down by the decoy pond (along with a large heron chick, on the [...]

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Swallow

The first local Swallow that I’ve heard about, seen flying across Beddingham flyover yesterday (Paul Stevens).

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Late late swallows

Bit late this… Maybe it’s because the days are getting shorter, or possibly it’s just my faculties going into hibernation.
On Saturday (18th),  what might just have been my last four Swallows of the year flew through the village. Sigh.
One or two Chiffchaffs remain, calling quizzically from the gardens. But they’re now well outnumbered by incoming [...]

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Yellow Wag

Curious conditions over the last couple of days – almost an absence of weather, with uniform grey skies and temperatures that barely change from night to day.
This morning my first Yellow Wagtails over the autumn were heard (but not seen) flying over Chalky Road. In previous autumns, one or two appear to have hung around [...]

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Cuckoo at Glynde

No sooner has I moaned about it, a Cuckoo (the Cuckoo?)appeared over my head at Glynde Station this morning. Remind me to moan more often.
About the same time, a Little Egret flew over the village toward Glynde Levels, and Whitethroat, Long-tailed Tit and Swallow were all highly visible from the bridge.
There’s now a rather jealous-making [...]

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Fresh hirundines

Spring incontestably in the air now. At least three Blackcaps singing between the Ram and the entrance to Firle Park this morning, with Skylarks in full voice along the A27.
At Glynde Station, my first Swallow of the year was sharing airspace with a couple of freshly arrived House Martins, and then from the train there [...]

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