Hi everyone, What lovely weather we’re having—it’s a joy to be alive! Margaret and I went down to Budleigh the other day, and this was also a beautiful day. We walked along the riverside path as far as the bridge, where we sometimes see kingfishers, but not today! However, it was a super walk, with lots of pretty blossom on the blackthorn and gorse hedges.
I saw a male reed bunting, curlews, lots of wild ducks still about, 
a chiffchaff singing and a pair of chaffinches mating on the path in front of me—they are brazen—he looked very pleased with himself! Up the lane, there was a tree creeper in the oak tree, and lots of bird song.
We have some unwelcome visitors in our garden—a pair of young rabbits and a pair 
of not so young grey squirrels—the apples I put out for the birds
have been disappearing, and I saw one apple going up a tree in a squirrel’s mouth!
Len Salter saw his first swallow in very early 
April.Mark saw a tawny owl in the lane one evening and I saw a grey wagtail in the stream, his yellow breast gleaming in the sun.
Alan Jones (841671)
