Kingfisher!

Pheosia gnoma or lesser swallow prominent, found in the house today. I like the Princess Leia hair-do.

After a day working on the house (chopping out an oil-tank...I may never hear goldcrests again), I nipped out for more saw-blades and a look at Klarningen. Not much water and the whole site has been mown, flocks of crows and at least two red kites were picking through the short sward for dead things. The tower is nearly finished though, I wonder who will cut the ribbon?

A few birds about, although most of the resident waders have moved on, hopefully the fledglings got off safely last month. A big flock of 150 lapwing was present and smaller numbers of other migrants; snipe (2), greenshank (3) and wood sandpiper (2).

Halfway round I was stunned to hear a kingfisher travelling up the river. Ever since the long, hard second winter period I have been hoping for one and this was amazingly my first of the year. They must have been hit awfully hard by all that ice, maybe I will get a dipper too this year after all.

Over on Eskilstorpsdammar a single osprey drifted past, there were also a small number of buzzard that may have been migrating in a rather languid fashion. The final highlight came in the form of a female red-backed shrike, sitting next to a bush with some rather noisy (and rather late) nest-bound youngsters. Nice one!