There were plenty of birds to be seen on the morning patch-bash, singing and foraging. A pair of long-tailed tits is nesting in my garden, as a reward to us for feeding them suet through the winter. They still come to the fat balls, but then fly off to collect grubs for the youngsters.

The male of the kestrel pair, hovering for food near their nest.

A clan of about 20 crows (can't remember the proper word) giving lie to the old saying about 'if there are lots of crows, they are rooks, but if there is a solitary rook it's a crow'.

Small Copper

And of course, back to the small blue colony, where there was much activity, getting the mating and egg-laying done before the easterly blast arrives later this week.