I've been to and fro a rather chilly UK over the last few weeks so it's good to be back in what is beginning to feel loike a real Spring in Charente. Cagouille reports swallows (hirondelle rustique) but I've yet to see one and they are a week or so late compared to last year---perhaps today?
A cuckoo (coucous gris) was calling as I let the cat out at 7 this morning and there are plenty of other signs of return migration: blackcaps (fauvette a tete noir) and chiffchaffs (pouillot velocé) are singing everywhere; a pair of black redstarts (rougequeue noir) visited the house yesterday (sadly they cannot use their old nest site which was inside the house as we now have windows!) and a green sandpiper (chevalier culblanc) was on the Bandiat at Vielles Vaures on Friday ---but nothing else at that migration site.
The stone curlews (oedicneme criard) should be back on the plains and I am going to cycle up there in a minute but the place is very much disturbed and obstructed by the erection of the new wind turbines so I am a bit concerned.
Friday was a particularly good day for raptors: buzzards (buse variable) were well into double figures and enjoying the thermals for their courtship; kestrels (faucon crécerelle) were plentiful; a sparrowhawk (épervier d'europe) was at the Bandiat; a red kite (milan royal) appeared briefly on the plains and I saw there the fascinating sight of a tiny,dashing male merlin (faucon émerillon) harassing a lumbering buzzard.
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