Blackcaps

The chiffchaffs have now been joined by blackcaps. I heard my first one singing this morning. It was situated in a tree which is often its singing post during the breeding season, which makes me suspect that it is the same individual returning to its old haunts.
Saw some fighting goldfinches which suggests that they are coming into breeding condition much earlier than would normally be the case.
Yesterday at Wedgewood and had singing siskins and redpolls calling.

Chiffchaffs

Wherever I go I am met with the cheerful song of the chiffchaff. To begin with, I thought they may have been individuals passing through on the migration route north and westwards, but they now appear to be settled and establishing territories. Also heard a cock yellowhammer singing away the other day.
Blackbirds are nesting and a robin's nest in the garden has eggs. However this cold spell will be making it difficult for early breeders and migrants to find insects. The thunderstorm today would not have helped much either though warmer weather is forecast for the weekend.

Symonds Yat wildlife sighting

The air was full of the sound of singing siskins. These birds are rarely seen in Kent but here they are regular visitors to the bird feeders. Within minutes of my refilling the mixed seed dispenser I had a siskin feeding. This was closely followed by great, blue and coal tits. Six pheasants (three of each gender) soon arrived to mop up any spillage.
Down by the river, the mallards were all paired up, and as evening set, the tawny owls began their chorus.
There was lots of evidence of the deer travelling down through the wood to the river, and badger s appear to use the same tracks.

First singing spring migrant

Yesterday heard a chiffchaff singing on the edge of my local wood.
Spent most of Thursday in the Black Mountains. Every few hundred yards, a new pair of skylarks appeared and the cock would rise singing into the air. Plentiful cock meadow pipits the cocks with their parachute flight displays. Saw no sign of merlin and wondered whether the profusion of birds was due to the fact that the merlins had not arrived back from their winter quarters.