A species I've not tried to see in the UK before now but this one at Eyebrook seemed settled and was relatively close to home. The bird seems to have an injured left eye.
Lot's of mewing from the young birds which have fledged this summer north of the river with adults seen bringing remains of rabbits. 
Having seen more of the Kingfishers on the river in the past few days I decided to take a boat out this morning to try and pin them down. I saw three, possibly four birds, undoubtedly a family group which I'm pleased have bred but I need to put much more work in to get any half-decent photographs.
These Reed Warblers were still feeding young. Each time one of the adults flew into the reed clump, the high pitched sounds from the young could be heard - I assume still in the nest which seems very late in the season ?
It's a while since I tried photgraphing butterflies and the Silver-spotted Skipper has been one I have omitted to try for in the UK. Until today that is at Aston Rowant NR where the sun bought this one out close to the car park. My first day out in ages. 
Having lost the regular pair of Little Owls in the south of the village following the cold winter, I'm now enjoying watching a pair closer to home. There are two birds but I'm not sure they bred ?
Still not getting much further than the garden but there's plenty to try and photograph. Need to get a proper macro lens though.
This magnificant beast had a damaged wing and therefore presented a static subject at the garden pond.
Common Blue in the Garden on on 19th, about as far as my camera has taken me in recent weeks.
I've not seen Peregrine this close before and I was not dissapointed. Fantastic birds two from the local brood of three needing a helping hand to fly the nest. The Raptor Foundation in Cambridgeshire did the job of feeding her up and thankfully this girl took back to being fed by it's parents to hopefully grace the skies over Willington !
The Blorenge on Saturday. Lovely spot, great birds, naff photos. The Marmora's Warbler has performed very well for nearly two weeks and does seem to pose nicely for portraits but not during my passing visit. Whinchats and Tree Pipits seem to do well here. 
Some people have been seeing unusual dark-phased Common Buzzards in the UK recently.
Back to the middens near Eyeworth whilst my daughter was at music lesson in Dunton and I chanced upon a calling Quail. I didn't expect to see it but it was calling from a ride along the field edge and showed momentarily before walking into the barley. Corn Bunting only cos I couldn't get a shot of the Quail !
This is the new brood of six cygnets hatched at the weekend on the settling lagoon in Willington. Let's hope they last longer than last year's brood from this pair that made the mistake of frequenting the fishing lake and recently "disappeared". Any information surrounding this crime that took place on Saturday 17th April should contact Bedfordshire Police.
I was pleased to find this bird feeding young in the plantation by the river this morning. The cold winter has been tough on small birds and birds such as this, Goldcrest and Kingfisher have been difficult to find along the river.
Rewarding to self-find my bogey bird for Bedfordshire and on my home patch too. I went out looking for Kingfishers and found none. I took my camera rather than optics but managed to scramble some poor and hurried shots of the Osprey as it headed north over the sheep field. It seemed interested at the fishing lake and turned to take a look but was seen off north by a rowdy group of corvids.
All five eggs have hatched and both adults are feeding. I'ts much colder that these birds would like though so I hope all ends up well for them.
Forget the election, today our first Great Tit hatched and was viewed from the nestbox camera. Only five eggs have been laid so let's hope that these birds can successfully fledge their brood.
My birds seen in the UK has this year been the lowest ever with birding restricted to localities in Beds. I decided to push the boat out and venture into NHants yesterday and connected with Grasshopper Warbler, Greenshank, Tree Sparrow, Black Tern and a perched Hobby, all firsts for the year. The weather in the morning was cold and at one point a hail storm caught me ill-equiped. Dramatic sky and rainbow at Knotting Green (Beds).
