Summer Leys

Whether we like it or not, Spring migration is in full swing and summer migration has started too, and it's still mid-April! We've already had both Swallow's and Swift's over our garden in Northamptonshire!

This weekend we decided to head for Summer Leys - the county migration 'hot spot'. It was indeed hot, around 20 degrees centigrade late morning, and warming. There wasn't much of note around the hides except some exceedingly long lenses :)

We headed up to Mary's lake and around it, this Mute Swan timing it's landing to perfection, just as we were walking by:














On the lake edge, we were being driven mad by a couple of Sedge Warblers, singing away but we could not locate them, though we spent a long time trying. We passed a couple of lads who were having similar issues spotting a Lesser-Whitethroat they could also hear but not see. Anyway the mutes are clearly enjoying the Spring/Summer:














These two were gliding gracefully on near still water, ignoring everything around them...

On the old railway path, this Dunnock was sitting preening on a tree, I swear no bird has ever let me get as close as this one did, I like the way he's stretching out his wing, before getting singing again:














Further down the path and in the shade of the tree, this Willow Warbler was also in the mood and I caught him just as he was singing:


















There were a number of Sand Martins sitting on the power cables that extend along the old track, who along moved about a bit when we passed but seemed very settled, again this one let me get good and close without appearing ruffled:















There wasn't as much around as we'd hoped for but the general atmosphere, singing birds everywhere, made it a pleasant if short expedition.