A nicer day altogether

This morning started bright and sunny and I was up early to do the last but one territory mapping thingy. There was still plenty to record on the breeding front, there were a few family parties of birds and some independent fledged young, some pied wagtails and  these stonechats.

juvenile stonechat - not from the brood we ringed

The grasshopper warblers have started singing again, they sing when they arrive, then go quiet whilst they are on eggs, then, when it is time for a second brood, they start reeling again. I recorded two pairs of grasshopper warblers this morning. This one was doing its dinger.

Doing its dinger - gropper in full reel

quiet..briefly

This magpie was nearby, probably looking for freshly fledged gropper chicks.

hungry-looking magpie

A female yellow wagtail was a nice find. The male linnets are looking very smart at the moment, but it is difficult, nay impossible, to record territories for them as they are hanging about in one big flock of about 35 birds. Still plenty of sedge warbler, whitethroat and blackcap activity.

smart black-headed gull

gratuitous cute bunny shot!