Chiltern Birder

I don't normally pay much attention to the various black corvids around here so it came as a bit of a shock yesterday to hear what was distinctly the croaking of a raven from the air above my garden. Not being a determined twitcher I wasn't aware that they had been spreading into this area but I heard it again this morning. Clearly I will have to pay more attention to the various large blackl birds in future.

I went to the Chelsea Flower Show on Tuesday and was puzzled by the strange calls in the trees. It was only when something green flashed across my sight line that I realised that they were ring necked parakeets. From the racket that they make I am sure that a lot of people with them in their gardens must think that their necks should be wrung! I seldom miss the flower show and this is the first time that I have been aware of parakeets in the Royal Hospital grounds.

Red kites don't normally warrant a mention in my part of the Chilterns any more but today I travelled over to Thame by bus. Going through Studley Green near High Wycombe on the A40 there were a huge number circling in a small area. I kept trying to count and found that there were at least seven in my line of sight at any moment with at least as many again circling just out of my vision. I have never seen so many in one place and can only imagine that somebody in the village is putting food out for them. Feeding carnivores always brings the risk that once habituated they will take things that they shouldn't including pets. In Thame there was yet another sign of summer as swifts were making a lot of noise. I saw some decent sized parties chasing each other above the shops.

Heard my first cuckoo of the year today. I was walking along the edge of Cowcroft Wood and could hear the bird calling, probably from the thickets on the other side of the brickworks. In the woods the display of bluebells was magnificent and other woodland plants were making nice displays elsewhere. Earlier this month I had half a sighting of a badger. Driving late at night towards Missenden I just glimpsed the animals hind quarters as it scuttled into the hedge.