Raptors and Nocmig

Spent much of the day scanning the sky today with the Mrs and we finally managed to catch up with one of the numerous Red Kites that are being seen around the county. We narrowly missed a presumed Kite or Osprey yesterday when nearly every gull in the town was alarm calling like crazy, but we just could not get a view of the gulls or any raptor from the garden! During my daily excercise walk from the house this evening a single Wheatear and more significantly, a singing Firecrest in breeding habitat.

Being in "lockdown" has also prompted me to finally join the numerous "Nocmiggers" (Nocturnal Migration) around the country. Recording calls of migrating birds that pass over the garden during the night. Best bird to date is Moorhen which is a surprisingly regular species recorded during nocmig sessions. The nearest breeding birds to home are probably 1.5Km as the moorhen flies.
Surprised at the quality of the recording considering it is just the recorder with no shotgun microphone as yet. 

Lockdown Garden List: 32 species since 23rd March
Plus Nocmig Species: Canada Goose and Common Moorhen

Sound Recording of Common Moorhen below.

Female Sparrowhawk over the garden

Pale Common Buzzard over the garden

Typical Common Buzzard over the garden

Red Kite over the garden