Birds

Haven't noticed them before, I think that this is the first year since we have been here, but there are swifts around. I am seeing them now on a daily basis and I can only assume that they are nesting nearby. We have always had swallows nesting in the barns - they are so wonderful - but it seems to me that the swift (martinet) thing is new. Watching their wonderful shape cutting through the sky is amazing, their flight is so different to swallows (hirondelle). The owls are always around and this time of year the little owl is out during the day calling its mate - or whatever.

I think that the barns are well habited by birds and other creatures. So far we have for our summer visitors, black redstart, swallows, swifts, pied wagtails, yellow wagtails, golden oriole (we only hear it down by the river - very distinctive call!), cuckoo, nightingale, blackcap plus many others. I do my best with my wonderful book to identify these birds.

There are of course our residents who are very busy this time of year creating the next generation. Blue tits, great tits, wrens, robins, blackbirds, chaffinches, goldfinches, starlings, magpies, crows, rooks, herons, mallards, pheasants, partridges, turtle doves, wood pigeons, collared doves...

Fan-flaming-tastic.