Almost exactly on time (they turn up every year in the same week) there were five, probably six, Spotted Flycatchers flitting around the two big Ash trees in the garden. We also seem to have at least six territorial Blackcaps, three Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat plus all the usual Goldfinches and like Bob just seem to have loads of Bullfinches this year.
Our garden list is now 74 species with the flycatchers and a Mistle Thrush today. The chiffchaffs have gone quiet so they are incubating in some patch of grass somewhere like the Dunnocks and Wrens but the Blackbirds are feeding chicks somewhere and we are suspicious that the Robins are too whilst the crows clearly have big chicks now and the Buzzards sitting tight and getting severe persecution from the crows if they dare to start soaring over the hill nearby.
All in all its rather nice to sit out in the sun and listen and watch what's going on in our patch. Just a pity we were down the Gann when the Marsh Harrier flew over the garden and although we saw it from there we decided not to count it as a garden tick!
