THE FIRST SWALLOW OF SUMMER

THE FIRST SWALLOW TO ARRIVE AT OUR HOUSE IN DORSET, APRIL 27 A handful of swallows arrived from Africa on the first day of sunshine for weeks, preened for a while on the wires, then flew round the garden after insects. The next two days have been heavy rain, and they haven’t shown again… We saw the last ones leave last Autumn, so it’s good to have seen them come back. 

PIED WAGTAIL PICKING ITS WAY DELICATELY ALONG THE ROOF RIDGE

GOLDFINCH IN A WEEPING ASH

BLACKBIRD’S NEST

The chicks fledged and flew during the past week, and we missed it… suddenly the nest was empty