You can't touch this

Been a bit slow on Galley of late, although I've still been getting a trickle of year ticks in the form of Collared dove, chiffchaff, blackcap, while a cracking male Ring Ouzel on the patio railings two weekends ago has been the migrant highlight of the spring so far.

A bonus encounter with a yellowhammer during the week was a stroke of luck, as they no longer breed on Galley and I failed to get one last year. Even managed a proof of life shot...

Hammer time

Aiming to keep up the daily stroll within 2km of the house for as long as I am allowed, so hopefully might even manage to get a few more migs in on these south-easterlies....

Oooh migrants! Bet they wish they'd stayed in the sunshine

Weather on patch has been piss poor, as has the mood, truth be told.

No birds about -- although a lone singing chiff a couple of weeks back from a sparse little copse at the back end of the patch hinted at a smattering of movement... a suggestion perhaps, that other migrants might be on the way. Not long after that a flyover yellowhammer was a welcome boost after a relatively lengthy year-tick-free patch -- good bird here, only ever seen passing through.

Then on Saturday I spied my first swallow, swiftly followed by two (count 'em) sand martians! So it's officially -- spring has most certainly sprung!

More importantly it puts me back on top of the leaderboard on 74.12%. Which is nice....