Absent from post

So that's the end of May and I posted nowt, not very impressive so I am starting off June with a short retrospective. " I shall never twitch Lundy " I said, and for thirty three years this has been true. But after spending eight days there in May and leaving with a Little Ringed Plover (not literally) it was somewhat of a disappointing trip and particularly hard work in the force seven easterly that prevailed for three days.

So it was a bit galling to hear of a Trumpeter Finch arriving on the island just a week after I had left. Still, abiding by the thirty three year tennant of not twitching I manfully struggled on as I uploaded other people's pictures of the Finch onto the Lundy Birds website. It was just too much so I went, left home at midnight and was back the next day by 5am -  a little jaded I have to say, but a real hoot.......

 a nice enough crossing to the island, although a few passengers were sick. Rumours of a Black Wheatear a Black-eared Wheatear, Woodchat Shrike and possibly two Trumpeter Finches, were taken on board by this seasoned traveller as exactly that. Fellow birdwatchers, about fourteen however were predicting a great day. I told them if we came away with one Trumpeter Finch that would be good enough.

 Despite being older and less fit than many of the accompanying birders I was first up the hill and first to Quarter Wall - I was bloody impressed with that ! But where was the Finch ? As I arrived it flew down the path and over my head !

Ok someone say it...... 

and then it was nailed ! A great little bird on a great little island

 Got some great views and heard it singing - sun came out wind dropped - happy days

 The next twitch didn't fare so well. A quick blast to Welney, only thirty minutes this time, resulted in a dip of the Bluethroat, just a Reed Bunting in the "throats" favourite patch.

And back at home the garden has been productive with a brood of Robins fledged from a nest in the porch, these Blue Tits in a nest box and the Swallows have returned to nest in the garage and pooh all over the cars.

 Last saturday a visit to Rutland produced some close views of the Ospreys.