Shrike

I think that I've waxed lyrical before about the beauty of the male red backed shrike and so it was a delight to see my first of this Spring sitting on top of a hedge near Goise today.

Shortly before this I came across my first reed warblers in the usual small reed patch on the Son-Sonette. Two birds were singing there although neither showed itself.

I came across a pair of stone curlew in a different location yesterday; they were in a field of emerging maize not far from Le Chatenet. The bike ride that took me there also turned up a Cetti's warbler on the Bonnieure and a singing yellowhammer.

Swifts are flying around  the church at Saint Front and there are a remarkable number of house martins in Saint Angeau.

We had the curious experience yesterday evening of an unidentified large bat flying around inside the house. It was perhaps three times the size of a pipistrelle and how it got indoors is a bit of a mystery. I eventually allowed it to make its escape by opening a bedroom window.