The sky over my back garden

I am miles behind on publishing photos. I have quite a number of posts to do from a long weekend's birding last week with my good friend Russ from Nottingham, however, I am going to start with today. We have had a long spell of glorious, almost unbroken skies this month, but out of the sun, there has still been a bit of a chill in such wind as we have had which has predominately been North to North Easterly. This combined with apparently poor weather over the Pyranees has made the spring migration somewhat on the slow side this year, but a steady trickle of birds have been arriving. Today the wind has shifted right round to Southerlies with a noticeable shift in air temperature which has been reflected in the shortening of many people's trousers, including my own.
A quick sortie around Fishlake Meadows yesterday seemed to prove the wind to be a factor, light though it has been, as the day heralded my first Swifts of the year with about 50 hunting over the main pool, and a similar number of House Martins. Two Cuckoos added humour to the birdsong, although not I suspect for any listening Reed Warblers.
Anyway. Today. Amongst other things I was mostly gardening today, and as usual I was poorly prepared and found myself running in and out for binoculars as four Buzzards had a small skirmish lowish over the park, closely observed by a better prepared Sparrowhawk circling high above them. I have seen odd pairs here recently, but not like the mass meetings earlier in the month. Nevertheless I am starting to think that this must be the edge of several territories. A short while later, I ran (optimistic terminology) in to get my camera as another three turned up circling and drifting towards overhead. One turned off in the opposite direction and left this lovely pair displaying their affection for eachother. Lots of photos and no words to follow.
Please click on them to see them in their full, glorious, effortless show of disregard of gravity. 

This is one of the reasons I love gardening.