Skirr Cottage Diary.

A good walk around Rudyard Lake. Heard at least ten chiff-chaffs whilst on route. I've a feeling they only made fall the day the before. On reaching home in Buxton heard one near the garden. Spotted a lone swallow over Rudyard, first of the year. Also saw two buzzards been mobbed by jackdaws, great crested grebes in breeding plumage, nuthatch, two oystercatchers. A bonus was good views of willow tit. Back at home a sparrowhawk nearly took my head off in the garden. Lots of buff-tailed queen bees taking advantage of the last flowers of the Viburnum Bodnantense.