Flycatchers return

 Pied Flycatcher

 I'm off...........

.............. I'm Back again

Peacock Butterfly 

On reflection Bank Holiday Monday was not the best choice of days to head out to Bickerton Hills to see if the Pied Flycatchers had returned to an area of Woodland that has now had a population of up to five pairs for more than twenty years.  Still, we had already set out before thinking about the traffic and the amount of other people who would be out enjoying our countryside.

It didn't Take Ashley long to locate a singing male bird, which he was able to get in the scope for Alex - a lifer for Alex and a first this year for Ashley.  In all we had three male and two female birds.  I was distracted by the number of Peacock butterflies in the area and took a few photos to share with you.

Other birds of note seen at this site in the couple of hours we were there were: Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and a small party of four Crossbill.

Spanish Pyrenees

 Bonelli's Warbler

 Bonelli's Warbler

 Rock Thrush

.............  again

......... and again

 Rock Thrush

 Black Redstart

Northern Wheatear

 Northern Wheatear

 Yellowhammer

 Water Pipit

 Black Redstart

We managed a couple of days birding on our drive back to the UK in the Spanish Pyrenees around the Town of Jaca.  Sadly as can happen in the Pyrenees the weather wasn't great with low cloud,  rain and snow.  The first sight we visited was the ski resort of Candanchu, followed by the nearby Astun on the Col Du Somport.  We had a great four hours birding, watching Alpine and Red billed Chough, Alpine Accentors, Black Redstart, Water Pipit, Yellowhammer, Pied Wagtails and Northern Wheatear in good numbers, other sightings included Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike, Rock Thrush, Whinchat and Firecrest 

On the second day we had about four hours birding time, as we still had to drive across France.  Wanting to make the most of the time we had, after a typically Continental breakfast, we headed to the nearby Monastery De San Juan.  The weather still wasn't playing the game, hence the reason we do our Pyrenees tour a little later on in the year.  June is more favourable weather wise and also means plenty of flowers and butterflies.  Species highlights included Griffin and Egyptian Vulture, Lammergeier, Crested Tit, Bonelli's Warbler,  Rock Bunting, Rock Sparrow and Short-toed Treecreeper 

 Roe Deer

Chamois

Hurleston Reservoir

 Great Crested Grebe

 Chaffinch

 Whitethroat

A very obliging little Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

A few hours on Friday, at what has always been my number one Patch, Hurleston Reservoir. It is located just a couple of miles out of the town and a pleasant walk down the Llangollen Canal.

Birding at this time of year is as much a treat on the ears as it is on the eyes with Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat all singing on the walk down the Canal.  Add to this the resident Chaffinch, Linnet and Greenfinches and we have our own little "feathered choir" going on.  

On the reservoir itself I watched the displaying Great Crested Grebes for a while.  The only other birds here of note were a Pair of Grey Wagtail.  I know of a breeding site for Lesser Whitethroat nearby and as I have only just come back from Spain I had not yet visited to see if they had returned this spring.  I am happy to report they have and although I could not get a photograph this time, I will keep my eye on them over the next few weeks.