The last week of March produced a few new species for the year list with a single Greylag Goose(70) and three of Tufted Ducks(71) on the 24th, followed the next day by the first Chiffchaff(72) of spring. The same day in the late afternoon as I went to fill up the feeder,down by the lake my second Red Kite drifted over west.
My good fortune continued on 26th with a Red-legged Partridge(73) in the small orchard on Furnace Lane.
All of a sudden the winter thrushes have cleared out with two Redwings seen on the 31st which will possibly be the last this spring.The same day there were 4 Chiffchaffs around the patch.
The first Blackcap(74) was found singing intermittently behind the pumping station.Chiffchaffs numbered five and a single Fieldfare was at the lake.The lake held a pair of Teal,4 Great-crested Grebes,2 Kingfishers and a pair of Mandarins.
Dropping in to the lake on my way home from work,on 5th, produced two Swallows(75) going west as well as 3 Fieldfares, a Marsh Tit and a flock of about 110 Linnets, the singing Blackcap and 4 Chiffchaffs.
Driving through Castle hill that afternoon I also saw another Red Kite going over.
On a walk after work this afternnoon I saw 6 Buzzards circling over the orchard plus a Kestrel and amazingly my third Red Kite of the year on the patch.
In the garden the Siskins are still coming to the feeders with the occasional Lesser Redpoll.

Siskin in the garden

Singing Linnet