EASTER SLEET

SOooo... "Spring has sprung" eh?

Hmmm...

Like I said, I did think I was being a bit premature...

After an Easter weekend of hail, snow and sleet (its sleeting as I write this), it does feel like Spring is some way off still.

The met office weather forecast at the office (direct from Exeter) suggests it may be Thursday before we see temperatures back in double figures.

Well, the first Swallows have arrived in the county. The (right) Royal county of Berks. (Take that either way!)

There are a few martins and swallows that do overwinter in the UK, right on the south coast, (especially the south west) but they are very few indeed and the recent arrivals in Berkshire have (I'm reliably told) travelled from their traditional winter feeding grounds in sub-saharan Africa.

There ARE still Redwing and Fieldfare about - generally in large migratory flocks - though I still haven't seen any for some time.

Finally - we have a pair of Blue Tits nesting in one of the tiny boxes in the office courtyard.

I feel like I've been well and truly "given the bird" (so to speak).

Unfortunately, the box that they've chosen is right next door to one of the huge mirrored panes of glass that provide the outside skin of the office - and I watched the male bird today repeatedly fly up and down the window (and into it), chasing away its reflection, or trying to.

I hope that behaviour stops, as they'll need all the energy they can get, when raising their brood - and certainly can ill-afford to spend the time and effort chasing shadows...

The picture above (CLICK TO ENLARGE) is a portrait of one of the three Collared Doves I've been watching at night - all roosting together in the office courtyard, in a tight huddle.

They're obviously getting the same weather forecast as me!