Osprey and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

I spend a lot of time wandering around Castor Hanglands and it can at times be quite a lonely, quiet, although always lovely place. You can walk for a long time without seeing a person or hearing a bird!

This morning from 6-7 was not one of those days. There were chiffchaffs singing everywhere - I counted at least 10 and plenty of activity from long-tailed, great, marsh and blue tits. Two separate mistle thrush were singing loudly and green woodpecker calling in the distance.

But the highlights were firstly a lovely male lesser spotted woodpecker that was calling and drumming and showing itself very well. I have to admit this is only the third I have caught up with and the last one was several years ago - also at the Hanglands. A very elusive and increasingly uncommon bird.

And then as I was walking back across the main heath I looked up an saw a large, greyish bird flying purposely westward. One look through the binoculards and an osprey was in sight! Certainly makes it worth getting out of bed in the morning to find something as awesome as this.