The Magpie's Hoard

First Chiffchaff

This morning I heard the unmistakeable song of a chiffchaff as I walked through Walkley Cemetery. It's the first I've heard this year.

Bigby Boost

A couple of outings at the end of last week enabled me to give my Bigby list a much needed boost.

On Thursday we walked from Youlgreave, through Lathkill Dale and on to Bakewell. Along the way I picked up six new species: mute swan, mandarin duck, goosander, buzzard, little owl and raven.

Friday's trip to Bridlington and Flamborough added a dozen more species: greylag goose, oystercatcher, lapwing, sanderling, dunlin, redshank, turnstone, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, great black-backed gull, rock pipit and stonechat.

My total now stands at 76 species. Bring on the migrants!
 

More signs of Spring

In our garden this morning:

• fresh frogspawn in the pond;
• wren gathering nest material;
• blackcap singing.