I was out in the garden at about 9:50 this morning checking my moth trap (more of that later) when I noticed a large Accipiter overhead heading south. It raised alarm bells for a second, but it was just a female Sparrowhawk, but still lovely nonetheless.
I then looked towards the north and saw another raptor approaching very slowly, and this did look interesting. I ran into the house for my bins (note to self; have bins with me at all times when I am in the garden), raised them onto the bird, and it was a cracking Red Kite slowly heading southeast. In fact, it was moving slow enough for me to pass my bins to Gail, so she could get onto the Kite as well. Rather surprisingly, the local Gull population hadn't clocked it, so it managed to pass overhead unmolested!
note to self; have camera with me at all times when in the garden!
This was the 74th species for my 'observed from the garden/house list', and the sixth species of raptor, the others being Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel and Merlin.
Back to my moth trap, and I had trapped five individuals of just two species, being four Hebrew Characters and an Early Grey.
I was back in the garden looking skywards again in the afternoon, and I picked up a Raven thermalling very high and drifting south, and with it was a falcon, that I am pretty sure was a Kestrel. It was very high and I only got a nano-second of a view. I had another Sparrowhawk head north, this time a male, and my first Swallow of the year heading north, looking resplendent in the afternoon sunshine.
I think I need to spend more time in the garden with my eyes skywards!
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