What have you seen

 After a slow start we've spotted many Swallows and Housemartins coming in to join the early arrivals, a lot of silage cutting etc and the air has a plentiful supply of insects for them. We usually see a Swift or two but none so far. The birdsong has been lovely this year but we've had no takers for any of our nest boxes, maybe a neighbour has gone to town and provided more "up market" accommodation....? 

Had a drive on to Hodbarrow RSPB reserve today, never been there before. 
Great views of the tern colony, mainly sandwich, but also a good number of little terns about, too. 
Lots of eiders on the water, and on their nesting sites. 
Plus all the usual small hedgerow birds. 
On the way back to the campsite, we stopped off at the osprey nesting spot mentioned by the warden at Foulshaw Moss yesterday. Easily found following his directions (I’ll post them on here, if anyone wants them), and more good views. There’s a web camera on that nest, too, must be a good website somewhere for osprey viewers. 
🙂🙂🙂

On return journey back home and on a site below Angers which stayed on the way up to ferry, this morning and early evening we have had two Turtle doves calling from a nearby tree lovely to hear even managed to see one this evening and the Nightingales are still singing also had the local tawny owl calling early this morning in a tree quite close to the van and dawn chorus was good this morning except the local Cockerel kept joining in and the local birds saying what is that every morning ha ha.

but we've had no takers for any of our nest boxes, maybe a neighbour has gone to town and provided more "up market" accommodation

Don't know about up market Brue. We rode under a motorway bridge today on our bikes. There must have been at least 50 House Martin nests already under construction. Good food source nearby mind you with water right below bridge as well so I suppose it ticked a lot of (nest) boxes.

Once went looking for Golden Orioles in UK where some had been reported, fruitless unfortunately but their song is really delightful. Reminds me of the jungle where I did see some of their close relatives.

Saw some beautiful cranes though, not so melodic but a haunting call nevertheless!! Might see some success this year with our white storks, mind!

Just hoping Avian flu hasn't reduced the numbers of some uk birds this year, I can't think why we've had so few around, generally bluetits, great tits etc but we have got some successful blackbird nesting and lots of singing. 

We're away in Lincolnshire at the moment and also went for a bikeride today.  On the way back we passed a picnic area with toilets, so a very timely opportunity to use them.

And at the back, in one of the quieter grassy parts of the picnic area, was a couple who were on their way to their static on the coast.  With them was a tortoise, which was walking around, stretching its legs!  Must admit, I'd never seen one of those on a picnic area; it was quite active, and got up a good speed, the owners had to keep picking it up and bringing it back.

Don’t know if they are upmarket boxes but I have been very lucky to have two nesting pairs of blue tits this year. One box in the front garden and the other in the rear garden, both of which now have six chicks. I really made the effort during lock-down to provide nest boxes in better locations and installed a camera in each one, both linked to a NVR (network video recorder). I get alerts on my phone when there is movement in the boxes and at the moment it is going mental.

Here are a couple of recent pics of the nests and one pic of a wren that entered the nest one evening when the nest was only half built.

Haven't seen anything today as it is a travel day but great reading folks and super photos Nevers.👍

Don't know if you are familiar with the area we are in InaD. It's the Weeribben-Wieden National Park area. Supposed to be really pretty. We're looking forward to finding out.