Visitors arriving in droves

What a beautiful day! There have been others recently of course, but viewing them through an office window takes the shine off them. Today however was perfect: warm, but still fresh; a perfect, cobalt-blue sky; and lots of newly arrived birds to find without being too obscured by foliage.

On my walk round I heard 4 chiffchaffs sunging lustily, and was able to photograph this one at Scouts' Pond.

I was hopeful of also getting a picture of a blackcap: I heard 4 of those too, but none would stay in one place in clear view long enough. Never mind; next time perhaps.

At the junction of Chapel Road and Lower Street I found my first swallow of the year. As that is one of the species in our survey, that's another one off and running. Come on the rest of you, let's have your sightings! I can't believe I'm the only one seeing these things, especially since I'm only able to look at the weekends.So far we have 5 records of brimstone butterflies, and now this solitary swallow. There are also orange tip butterflies about, but they're not in the survey - perhaps we'll include them next year.

The orchid and cotton grass section of the common has some nice marsh marigolds growing in it: I found these less elusive to photograph than the warblers!