Swift...

...though not in terms of posting: 6 staff members were on the reserve on Bank Holiday Friday (!), three of whom saw a single Swift heading north, number 120. On a personal note, a male Yellow Wagtail was very welcome, having missed three previous individuals despite being on the reserve when they flew over.

Swift and Whitethroat

Phoning  news of the Emperor through to Andy Schofield, he mentioned in passing that he had a Swift over the old heath earlier in the day. This is a remarkably early arrival for Bedfordshire - since 2000 the first have been seen between 16th - 25th April. I did ask if he was sure it wasn't a Pallid...

And then this morning, a singing [Common] Whitethroat was on the new heath as I once again searched in vain for Woodlarks. Remarkably, this was also Bedfordshire's earliest of the millenium.

The Lodge list moves to 109.