Lowton Bird Observatory, Day 3

Photo: Long-tailed tit.

Another glorious day at the obs but the only new additions to the lockdown garden list so far are adult herring gull #26 and adult great black backed gull #27. Still, I've managed 20+ species so far today but I can't help but feel that these bright blue skies are not helping the list. Certainly it's nice to sit outside for most of the afternoon but I get the feeling that most of the birds are passing over very high and mainly out of sight. Trouble is I can't honestly say that I want the weather to change, yes it may bring more birds but then I'll be stuck in the house most of the day.

So that's 27 species for the garden since lockdown began three days ago but my full garden list currently stands at 44, with stand out species being waxwing (twice), hobby, shelduck, common tern and pink-footed goose.

Finally, in the evening we saw our resident common pipistrelle bat for the first time this year.

There's a few butterflies out and about now, including at least two peacocks which were enjoying the sunshine and the nectar on the new goat willow blossom.

At least four buzzards over today, including three thermalling with a sparrowhawk and later a really pale bird (not shown here) which gave me a few palpitations until I got a good look at it.