What's flying near you?

Saw the first Swallow today!!!!!!

I saw the first swallow here yesterday. There were 2 flying about today.
First peacock butterfly of the year today.

There are fledgling blackbirds already bumbling around in the hedges and Mrs B is brooding her next lot - in a goat willow bush right next to the new border I'm supposed to be planting up!

This is our Robins friend they’re both busy building a nest in the kitchen lean-too. 
He/she has only one leg but gets around the garden fine.

   

We think they've given up on the nest no sign of them going to it in the last couple of days, they got as far as taking moss in. Probably found a better location they're both still spend plenty of time in the garden.

As I write, lying in bed with my morning coffee, looking out over the back garden, I'm watching a male spotted woodpecker investigating the post of the bird table. The table has 3.5 plastic square mesh round it to allow the small birds sanctuary from the sparrowhawk and blackbird thugs while grazing. Woodpecker has now sussed out how to get in and out so quickly and smoothly through the mesh. He selected his preferred morsel and went on his way. We did wonder what had damaged some of the inside wood batten, I think it might have been woody woodpecker having a hissy fit.

Went for a walk along the canal yesterday, first time for a while. we passed a massive swan's nest, I've never seen one before. It was very prominent, right out in the open. The swan on the nest looked fast asleep, maybe stocking up before the sleepless nights begin. The male (I presume) was on guard swimming up and down the canal in front of the nest.

Not exactly flying but building a nest in the bean frames! In a bucket, lying on its side, that I'd been dumping grass into. There, at the bottom, a lovely little hollow in the middle of the dead grass. I suspect it was the stoopid robin who has a habit of building nests in the most inconvenient and vulnerable spot. Since were no eggs and no sign of the bird I moved the bucket onto a nearby table for safety. I know from experience, that any nest on the ground will be destroyed by my little furry fiends and the robin had a nest in a flowerpot on this table 2 years ago. Last year's nest was in a bucket at the bottom of the fence which didn't last very long unfortunately.

The first flock of swifts whizzed around above the garden yesterday evening - about twenty and I guess they were still travelling as they appeared from the west and left eastwards, following the line of the mountains. Hopefully 'ours' will be along soon.
The sound of screaming swifts still takes me straight back to childhood holidays, being dragged around endless hot French cities.

Sitting watching the birds this morning, there was a sudden scramble of the sparrows, tits and finches as well as pigeons and a sparrow hawk shot in, finished in among some honeysuckle without catching anything, but it looked a beautiful bird, no sooner away and the tits were back