April 4th
On our walk this morning early mist cleared soon to leave it sunny and mild. Birds we saw included 6 Chaffinches, 7 Goldfinches, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Fieldfare, 12 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 4 Greylag Geese, 30 Magpies, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Mute Swans, 15 Skylarks, 9 Cormorants, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Meadow Pipits, 4 Linnets, 2 Little Egrets, 1 migrant Long-eared Owl in a bush before being flushed by the local Magpies (129th), 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Kestrel.
Today from our garden at Bishopstone we counted 5 Common Buzzards, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 singing male Blackcaps moving W along the back hedge and 3 Peacock, 1 Comma and 1 Brimstone butterfly.