An Awesome Day

The House Martin greeted me as I opened the curtain this morning. I spent the whole day enjoying the ICC World Cup final today, what a spectacular game of cricket between the two heavyweights of the one-day game. I've been watching every game of the tournament and have thoroughly enjoyed it all and have been cheering on India from the start (based on knowing how good they are after a few years of IPL following!) My only negative from today was that Raina didn't get chance to bat, never mind, not long till the IPL now though.....


MS Dhoni hits a stonker of a six to win the World Cup for India.

During the lunch break I nipped over to Selby to get some shopping in, I was rewarded on the way back with my first Swallow of the year. A single bird flying low North just to the west of North Duffield village.

This evening I took a wander around the local area. Plenty of Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling, a handful of 'new' Chiffchaffs singing away. Reed Bunting and Yellowhammers singing. A small flock of Chaffinch contained at least 2, possibly 3 incredibly impressive summer plumaged male Brambling! A bit of a surprise but very enjoyable nonetheless.

I didn't get down to North Duffield Carrs today unfortunately but will try tomorrow at some point. A Little Egret was recorded briefly this morning but flew off towards Bubwith.

A few local birders have reported Blackcap, Willow Warbler Sand Martin and the odd Swallow today. Nationally, things seem to have really kicked off with Purple Heron, Black Stork, Garganey, Hobby, Spotted Crake, Wood Sandpiper, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Alpine Swift, Common Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Cuckoo, Wryneck, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Blue-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, House Martin, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, Redstart, Black Redstart, Red-flanked Bluetail, Ring Ouzel, Grasshopper Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Serin and lots of Osprey all reported (admittedly mainly from the south). Numbers of Waxwing, Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull all remain fairly high.