12th may-Morning sun

At last a lovely sunny spring morning so a few hours at my favourite spot, Titchfield Canal path, is in order. It's 5:30 am and, not surprisingly, the shoreline is deserted, apart from a lone angler. I check the estuary first- just the noisy black head gulls busy with their nests and eggs. I hear the familiar sound of beating wings and capture these two mute swans.

As I walk towards the canal path I can hear and see linnets flying from gorse bush to gorse bush. The path in places is, is still very muddy so a good pair of boots is a must. The dawn chorus fills the air as the sun breaks through the trees. I look across the first break in the hedgerow, and my luck is in. Two roe deer feeding in the early morning sunshine.

I leave the deer in peace and head on up along the path. There is quite a flow on the canal and in places has burst it's bank.I look up and notice a fluffy mass in the hedgerow- five fledgling long tailed tits.

Singing on the opposite side of the canal I spot this whitethroat.

Below is this lone morehen hugging the far bank.

Further on along the path my luck is in again- two blackcaps hopping from tree to tree. I take pictures of  both male and female. You can clearly see the difference between the two sexes, the male possessing the jet black cap and the female a brown one.

Not to be outdone a buzzard hugs the tree line then soars off into the distance.

I head home having enjoyed the first sunny morning in a long time.