Moorland meandering [Hmmm, sounds like a blog name there]

Once upon a time, the sun shone, the wind blew, and I spent a day wandering around Vitifer / Challacombe / Sousson's.

Having done a lot of jobseeking, it was time to get back to some proper birding - and while a sunny Vitifer is never going to have the sheer solitude of a rainswept high moor [try it next winter - just make sure someone knows where you're going ;) ] its still pretty relaxing. I gave the place a good bash - while it was on the [perhaps very] early side for most of the second wave migrants, you never know, and experience has taught that this is one of those places where almost anything can turn up.

But what did I find? Every patch of willow had it's Warbler, every valley had it's Cuckoo. Redstarts and Tree Pipits were singing, with somewhat louder accompaniment from Nuthatch and Treecreeper [who could think so much noise..?]. Reed Buntings were smartly turned out, Chaffinches were ubiquitous, and Mipits were in groups [migrants?]. It's been a while since I gave a bird an Indefatigable Award - deserving is the Skylark which drove a Cuckoo halfway down the valley, bouncing off its back all the way! Swallows were not so much flying as flowing through the air, but no Martins in the area yet.

Spotted Flies, Whitethroats, Groppers and Whinchats are evidently still en route, but welcome singletons were Garden Warbler, Blackcap, and a Hobby [the latter prompting another 'its a great big Swift...' moment!]. The former was a bit ironic, as I'd not long previously been chatting with another birder, one subject being that it was still a bit early for Gardens and there weren't any about..! The Challacombe ponies were feeling very naughty - sidling up to distracted birders and expressing their desire for fuss and any polos [other holed mints are available?] that might be in the vicinity by means of nose-prodding...

The sky was back to how it was again. Contrails here, there, everywhere... Haze again - thin and high. It didn't bother me anywhere near so much before it went away. What has always faintly irritated me was naturally also back - the almost constant background noise. I don't know if everyone is aware of it, but for me, if its quiet enough that I can hear birdsong, I can hear jets passing overhead... and its a pain.

Oh, and don't worry - no rocks. This time.