Eureka

With the exception of the bluethroat a few years ago, one of the areas of the patch which has always underperformed is the railway cutting. A spotted flycatcher was in the bushes here today along with about a dozen goldcrest beteween the cutting and Stodday. I love these little warblers and their high numbers may indicate that they have had a good breeding season in northern Britain. My only hope is that the weather quietens down to allow some Scandinavian birds to reach us and bring some eastern warblers with them. 6 chiffchaff, 40 goldfinch, a kestrel and 40 swallows were in the same stretch.

I've just come back from a holiday in Corsica where I confirmed what I suspected about the main factor which assisted collared doves to colonise northwestern Europe. I was told "on ne peut pas les manger" when I remarked to a local that they were very common in the villages.

Guy