A week into the my new job and I'm missing the freedom to get out around the park. The weather conditions were good today and I've heard lots of stories about what's been turning up down the east coast. I decided to console myself with a bit of garden birding, which ended on a high note.

First off were a group of six Barn Swallow over to the south, two Long-tailed Tit were calling and a single Goldfinch was seen in a tree at the front. The back garden had already been quite active with one or two Robin, three Blue Tit, a Greenfinch and the usual hoards of Starling and House Sparrow. Woodpigeon and Collared Dove are still visiting the feeder on a daily basis. A Pied Wagtail was calling from the ridge tiles of a nearby house, and the first Dunnock of recent weeks was calling from the neighbour's conifers. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over and into the trees in Warren Primary was a flyover first. Recent sightings of Jays flying over, have been both frequent and consistent, and this morning was no exception, with at least two Jay over along with a group of seven Magpie, which was a notable garden count. Two Jackdaw in the school field were also an unusual sight.

Whilst watching some of the crows, I saw a large bird that drifted over from the direction of the Pit Tip Top. My immediate thoughts were of a large gull rather than a raptor, but getting the bins onto it, I realized it was an Osprey! I thought the time of year was okay for Osprey migration, so I quickly took some notes of the distinguishing features as it circled, before letting Holly have a quick look. I got back onto it in time to see it drift off to the west. Two months earlier and it would have been a lifer, but then again, it wouldn't have been passing over at that time of year!

The day finished off just as the sun was setting, with a group of ten House Martin calling as they passed over high to the south east.

A day of mixed weather brought a single Woodpigeon onto the feeder tray, and later a pair of Collared Dove. Starling, House Sparrow, and Greenfinch visited throughout the day. A small flock of nine Goldfinch were moving through the nearby trees, and were flushed by a Sparrowhawk hunting over gardens at the back. Earlier in the day a Pied Wagtail was seen flying low along the length of the road, and a male Chaffinch - an uncommon visitor to the nearby gardens - was in the trees of the primary school.