Early birds

Last Sunday nine of us assembled at 5.00 am to listen to the dawn chorus. It was dark when we set off on our walk and only Blackbirds and a Songthrush could be heard.  but we soon heard Robins, Wood Pigeons, Wrens, Crows and Herring Gulls.

As sunrise arrived we heard three of the warbler gang: Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs in the woodland and a Whitethroat out in the more open grassy area.

  

Chiffchaff                                        Whitethroat

    

                                                                        Blackcap

A Collared Dove, Dunnocks, a Chaffinch, a Blue Tit and a Greenfinch were also heard and a Kestrel was seen hovering and moving on, hovering again and so on, until eventually it dived down, presumably on to an unlucky vole.

We finished our stroll around 6.15 am and returned virtuously to our respective breakfasts.