On Friday it was my birthday and I had the unexpected present of my first Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica of the year. I had the day off and decided to drop in at Wilstone Reservoir despite the pouring rain, in the hope of seeing a Scandinavian Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus littoralis that had been found earlier that morning. Two Chiffchaffs were cheerfully singing, a few Sand Martins were sallying high over the water and then all of a sudden there it was, a lone Swallow, hugging the surface, feeding busily. This was the earliest Swallow I can remember seeing by several days and a heartening sight, bringing with it the faint promise of summer. Frustratingly, the Rock Pipit was constantly flushed by a group of noisy ramblers and proved hard to see, so I visited the reservoir again in the evening and was lucky to have some excellent views as it fed quietly in the evening sun amongst the rocks by the jetty. The Swallow had already moved on, it's visit brief but welcome.
Barn Swallows in Autumn, (21/08/2010)
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