Whitethroats

A clear and sunny morning at Swaddywell today (6.30-7.15am) with my first sightings of whitethroat and lesser whitethroat of the year. I am a big fan of whitethroats - the common has a jaunty and distinctive song that is one of the sounds of the spring; the lesser is a much more reclusive bird, seldome seem but always betrayed by its dry rattling call - a bit like a slowed-down chaffinch.

There was also a pair of lapwing displaying, a lot of linnet activity all around the reserve and a pair of reed bunting. Skylarks, of course, were singing.

As I turned to shut the gate on the way out, a red kite strayed across the sky heading west.