Back from Sri Lanka

It's been some time since my last post but three and a half weeks in Sri Lanka is mainly responsible for that as I met up with old friends there and re-acquainted myself with the impressive bird life.
I flew from London and for the record,  although I didn't see a single gull in Sri Lanka, on the journey through France and across the Channel I saw seven species:-  herring, great black backed, lesser black backed, common. black headed, kittiwake and little, the last two from the ferry in surprisingly large numbers.
Charente seems to have had a lot of rain while I was away and more is forecast. Although this makes for miserable weather it raises the prospect of some flooded fields that might encourage some early wetland migrants to loiter in March.
I see in the comments on an earlier post that Cagouille has seen cranes still flying south in late January and I was told today that others had been seen going in the opposite direction over Fontenille this week.Make of that what you will !
On the drive down yesterday there were some flocks of lapwings and I saw a single cattle egret by the N10 but I've had no time to check out around here yet as I've hardly left the house but after a longish absence it was good to see the familiar blackbirds and robins in the garden along with a firecrest that was outside my window while the song of a mistle thrush was coming from the woods.
Tomorrow I might get on my bike.