Craig Shaws Digiscoping Birding Blog: Lockdown 7th-13th April

So no lock-down for me, i redeployed myself at work from Gardening leader to specialist cleaner for Older Persons homes and Delivery of important PPE to Orwells Care staff all over East Anglia. Just trying to do my bit and keep busy. I could however just sit in the garden all day birding as the time i have had after work has been brilliant. Patch has been pretty good too.
7th April
I've spoken about the badger i filmed a few hundred yards from home, well i set the camera up at the end of the garden really for the views of the Fox that's been visiting. So i set the feeding station up with crunchy peanut butter. On checking the camera this day a scraggy old badger has only gone and found it. I've been putting peanuts, peanut butter and chunks of lard out ever since and this old man has visited every day. On one occasion a female came in too and the Fox but the Badger scoffs the lot before anyone else gets a look in. Also visiting are Magpies, 2 Mice, Grey Squirrel 3 Cats and a Hedgehog.
A little Video below of the Badger

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A Little Video of the Fox

Right back to some birding. On Visiting one of my schemes for Delivering PPE i got to site and saw my first House Martins of the year, they breed on site here in Reydon. I also noticed a Black Redstart on the roof too.
Got back home late afternoon and spent some time in the garden which then produced my first Sand Martin of the year too.
The night Sky was incredible so took a picture of the Moon and Venus and the Pleiades system.

8th April
Early finish from work today so again spent some time in the garden, incredible start was a singing Firecrest which held territory pretty much all day. Managed a crap record shot looking into the sun.

To add to this great bird was 2 Blackcaps, 2 Wheatears were in the potato field at the end of the garden. Night time was superb too with a Little Owl flying around calling, pretty close.

9th April
Garden tick 2 Mute Swans flew past when checking the Camera for the badgers.

10th April
Good Friday but work beckoned again luckily just for the morning so i was back by lunch. Rach took dogs for a walk so I was able to go out on the bike, dogs needed a rest, Sheps arthritis was playing him up. So Headed for the patch and things were starting to move, duck numbers were well down, Greylags had eggs and migrants were starting to turn up. 2 Whimbrel flew over, 3 Sedge Warbler were back on territory and 3 Swallows past. At the Boyton part of the reserve i got onto a Cattle Egret, a great bird for the patch. Only had my phone and Binoculars at this point so took some record shots with the phone through me bins

Back in the garden insects were playing there part, this Osmia bicornis was looking for nest sites.

April 11th
Work Beckoned again, and again just the morning so the afternoon was spent in the garden. Marsh Harrier, 3 Adult Med Gulls, Kestrel carrying a Slow worm, maybe 3 Sparrowhawks in the area and a distant possible Goshawk but the heat haze meant i couldn't be sure. Many many Buzzards probably double figure were going over. Local birds were mating in the field.

12th April.
First full day off in a while so i made the most of my time by doing the Hollesley to Boyton circular.
Highlights of the day were a movement of Med gulls probably 20+, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 85 Avocets one color ringed Yellow BL, rung at Orfordness in 2017 then wintered till now in Kent.
5 Brent Geese, Sand Martin, 2 Willow Warblers, many Chiffchaffs, 8 Sedge Warblers 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank and the Cattle Egret was still around. Lastly from today a Red Kite over. Cracking mornings walk.

13th April
Took a Walk to Upper Hollesley Common for a little bit of a change. Another great part of the patch. Walked the perimeter of the MOD land and had a nice surprise, singing Nightingale, get in!!! Other highlights were 3 Dartford Warblers and many Woodlarks. The Stonechats were singing there heads off even in the wind.