What a change in temperature over the last few days! The wind is in northerly sectors and long trousers are back on. The only upside is that we've had quite a bit of needed rain.
Spring arrivals are still around of course but they must be a bit miserable. I saw a couple of swifts at Poitiers airport today and while driving there a male harrier which was almost certainly a Montagues was quartering a field near St Front---but I was driving at 80K.
Hen harriers are still a daily occurence and are mainly splendid males. Two of them were close to la Tache on Monday.
The forecast for the next few days is more of the same. The migration season is moving on quickly but I will try to check whether The Bandiat has any water yet and if any late passage wetland birds are making use of it.
A black redstart has built a nest inside the lounge of my La Poterie house which is nearing reconstruction. I reluctantly moved it to a nearby outside location before any eggs are layed. The downstairs windows will be installed shortly and I fear that the birds will be denied access. The inner lining of the nest was snugly lined with yellow insulation fibres taken from the building site.
Other species which are nesting on the new edifice (but thankfully on the outside) are blue tits and house sparrows under the roof and kestrels on the gable end. Swallows are thankfully not regarding it as an accessible barn at present. Until a few years ago, some individuals would fly in through the open doors and sit around on light fittings and walls. I assume these were descendents of birds which used to nest here when much of the building was a milking parlour. Perhaps the genetic memory has now faded.
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