I managed to conneck.

 On top of the World this evening after climbing Lark Hill and arriving high above Wantage to look for the rather exciting Wryneck that has been reported recently. No need to look for it as a birder returning from where it was under observation told me to "look for the four or five birders along the track" Sure enough it was not long before I could see a group intently looking for the little gem. Pleasantly surprised to meet up again with Steve Akers (you know of Chipping Norton Oriental Turtle Dove fame) I haven't seen Steve for some years and he is now sporting a beard so I guess he hasn't had a shave for several years. The tall birder Stephen B also arrived with a fair bit of equipment and I guess about four others, so far so good and it was to get better as our bird necked it across the track, but then the local dog walkers started arriving (Oh!Goody Goody) One particularly unhelpful pooch disturbed our feathered friend and although this meant that we were able to get good views of it there is of course the danger that the wryneck could have just taken off and kept going. It gave really good views and at one point ran towards us making photography relatively easy Having got a photo and a decent tick I then set of for home feeling rather pleased with the world in general and Lark Hill in particular.

Cuckoo Clocked.

 LockDown has meant me not getting out into Oxfordshires marvellous countryside, as it has seemed the right thing to do in order to protect myself and more importantly those that would have been within an infectious distance of me.

I had not heard the Cuckoo before today so imagine my delight when walking and enjoying the farmland south of Bampton to find myself between two calling Cuckoos, roughly about half a mile on either side of me. The first called for the best part of an hour whilst the second I only clocked for about twenty minutes.

Although the temperature is now climbing the wind is still blowing too strongly for it to be within the comfort zone of most of our insects and as a consequence apart from Gnats and Crane Flies little was showing.

The only other Birds I have noted and photographed this Spring, and this from the protection of my car have been Whinchat, Wheatear, Skylark, Yellow Wagtail Linnet and assorted lesser lights not really worth mentioning.