23 March, Spring is here.

First of the year, a Chiffchaff.

What can I say...

A singing Wren, silhouetted in Graveney Wood.

Great spotted woodpecker, Graveney Wood.

Moving and decorating has been consuming a lot of time and until this morning it has been mainly overcast and drizzly. It was pretty quiet walking through Graveney Wood, though a Wren was giving it full welly with the singing and a Green woodpecker was feeding on the ground in the middle of the running track. Two Great spots were seen again, one feeding and flitting between the trees very low to the ground. A pair of Long-tailed tits were looking for a nest site as a Sparrowhawk was seen gliding over the trees. Remembering sparrows, over 12 House sparrows were seen around Furzedown on the way over to the common. But the highlight of the morning's walk was 1+ Chiffchaffs beside the pond, the first of the Spring migrants seen this year.

How does a little bird fly so far? Chiffchaffs, named after their song are tiny, around the size of a Blue tit. They are usually one of the first migrants to arrive, coming from Europe and West Africa, though a number do winter over and there was one in the garden in December. One bird was feeding in the bushes beside the reeds on the pond and the same or another was heard calling not very far away. Also beside the pond, 4 Redwings dropped in to the trees, though the group of 60 seem to have moved on. A Pied wagtail flew over N and a Song thrush was singing from the top of the dead tree. Mistle thrushes again beside the running track and another pair of Long-tailed tits were looking for a nest in the birches. A Great spot was heard drumming from the island on the pond and 6+ Dunnocks were flying around.

On the way to B&Q, a Sparrowhawk was seen buzzing around just above the trees at the junction of Trinity and Burntwood roads, Wandsworth Common.