The week started well with a Red Kite(80) over the lake going west on Monday at 16.30. the first Common Whitethroat(81) was found by the lake on the 17th. The same day a second Willow Warbler was found on an established territory.
The Robins in the back garden had fledged three young on the same day and three fledgling Blackbirds were on grass verge in Maidstone Road.

Blackbird fledgling

By Friday a total of three Whitethroats and three Willow warblers were on territories. It was especially pleasing to find the Willow Warblers as I feared they could be lost as a breeding species after the destruction of most of the decent habitat but they seem to be making the most of the fragments that are left, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Common Whitethroat

On Saturday evening I was overjoyed to find a Barn Owl(82) sitting in one of the local nest boxes we put up a few years ago.

Finally, today I had a Tree Pipit(83) over West to complete the new arrivals to the patch.

It's been a bit of a mixed week.On Tuesday I had what will undoubtedly be the last Fieldfare of the spring when a single bird flew over the house at 06.10 as I left for work.
That evening at 19.00 I had a quick walk and was made-up to find a cracking male Wheatear(77) in the field opposite Kirkins Cottages in Furnace Lane.

Male Wheatear.

On the 8th I found a Willow Warbler(78) on one of the only patch territories left after last years butchery by local farmers. A real relief!! The first Cuckoo(79) called somewhere on the village green as I left the house at 07.00 yesterday but remained unseen until this morning when it called persistently and gave some really great, if distant, views. There were also 4 Swallows at the lake plus a few going through this morning.

The local pair of Buzzards have been displaying well and Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps seem to be everywhere. There are also now three broods of Mallard ducklings on the lake.

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and what they might bring.

A quick look at the lake this evening, produced the first two Swallows (76) which were chasing each other over the sheep field near the pumping station.
On the lake itself the first Mallard ducklings,ten of them, were being closely guarded by their mother.
With luck the weekend will produce some goodies!!