Christine's walking & birds blog

Yesterday: I was peering through the low hide window at a redshank on a distant island, when a second redshank emerged on a nearby island. Upon which it immediately saw me and flew off calling. I would like to take an axe to these hides.

By way of exchange, an Egyptian goose flew in. The bright white wing panels make this a nice bird to see in flight, and some of the other colours are attractive; but there's no doubt this is generally rather an ugly goose.

Today: I walked in Cliveden and watched a singing firecrest until my neck ached. A visit to Dorney Wetlands brought a large flock of swifts, swallows and sand martins.

The rather muddy sand martin pictures were taken just before a violent downpour. At least six of them were perching on wires with swallows - but the swallows took exception to their presence.

This was the third time I've seen swallows being aggressive: the first was at Dorney Lake when they were feeding young and a chiffchaff got too close; the second was on the cliffs in Cornwall when they dive-bombed wheatears; now it was the hapless sand martins.