Garden mega.

If you're in and the birds in, its on, if you're out and the birds in, its on,  if you're in and the birds out, its on, if your out and the birds out, its not on. So said our old mate Pod about birds on his patch list. Sadly he passed away last year but this mantra of his holds true.  Consequently my new garden list stands at 81 species with a new one being added last night from the front bedroom window overlooking the pond / flash about 300 m away. The new patch lists is 83 with the only species not being seen from the garden being Kingfisher and Barn Owl. Not bad since we moved in last December. With the water receding and the ducks departed  I was hoping for a wader - a Green Sand or a Redshank.  Never did  I expect an adult male Ruff in full breeding attire!!!

Apologies for the quality of the photo's but they're taken through the 'scope at 40 x magnification and virtually full magnification on the phone. The heat haze didn't help either.

Surprisingly the Heron was only the 2nd record and it spent an hour or so catching newts. We have plenty of young Smooth Newts in the garden but the distance was to great to identify the species it was catching. A pair of Tufted Ducks also showed up briefly.

The previous day (Bank Holiday Monday) revealed two Wheatears feeding around the margins of the pond - surprising as I'd have expected them n a nearby ploughed field that  I hadn't had time to check yet. Given the timing and the size and colouring of the male I'd expect they were probably Greenland race, leucorhoa.

There seems have been an influx of House Martins and Swallows overnight with noticeably more around the village. A walk around the lanes revealed Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff all on territory. The Little Owl was singing late last night and I'm pretty sure the female must be on eggs - a box I put up a few years ago on the Wirral has a female sitting on 5 eggs!