Early spring, but still waiting...

Highlight of the week was a Tawny Owl which caused me to duck as it glided low over my head near Horspath as I cycled back on Thursday evening. Today was a quiet but warm day, which began with a pair of Kestrel and a singing Chiffchaff around the playing fields - one of 3 Chiffchaffs singing, but no sign of any long-distance migrants yet - c'mon guys, I'm getting impatient, even a Swallow would be nice! The hedgrerows held the usual Yellowhammers and Chaffinches, whilst the male Reed Bunting is still holding territory by the river. The Canada Geese are beginning to pair off and seem settled and noisy in the flood fields. I flush a Snipe from the ditches, most of which have sadly been cleared out, along with much dead wood from the hedgerows. Lets hope this will allow the hedges to develop, rather than dissapear...

The first butterfly of the spring -a Small Tortoiseshell basking on a flowering hedgerow (one of many reasons why we need them!):

I finally get a reasonable shot of one of the garden Dunnocks, which have been flicking around in testosterone fuelled glee for a few weeks now: