Friday 9th March (Looking for a Sand Martin)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a cloudy grey sky. But spring was creeping along. A brighter light lit the sky.

In the late morning Mr. Kite saddled The Beast and cycled slowly along country lanes towards Venus Pool. With thoughts of spring in his mind Mr. Kite was thinking that anytime now a sand martin could be seen. The field were green and quiet but robins and great tits could be heard and blue tits seen in the hedges. Overhead common buzzards and ravens soared.

Opening the hide window Mr. Kite looked over the bare earth, green grass and the water of Venus Pool. In front a group of about fifty lapwings sat on an island. A handful of black-headed gulls flew about, sat around and noisily squabbled. In the shallows two green sandpipers waded on the edge dipping into the water every few steps. Eighteen shelduck fed in the waters of the pool by putting their heads under the water leaving their upturned body on show.

In the air a peregrine falcon flew over the pool and surprisingly did not cause a stir; all birds stayed put. A flock of linnets flew around the pool over the fields and into the thin woods. Just before Mr. Kite started his return journey fourteen curlews glided in and settled on an island.

Following a good day Mr. Kite returned for a tipple of Tetley tea. Cheers.